Chester  Harvey  Rowell 


• 


J 


A    HISTORY 


OF 


EUREKA  COLLEGE 


WITH 


Biographical  Sketches  and  Reminiscences. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


ST.  Louis  : 
CHRISTIAN  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 

1894. 


•' 

'VV^ 


EXPLANATORY. 

AT  their  animal  reunion,  June  16,  1892,  the  Alumni 
Association  of  Eureka  College  decided  to  publish  a 
history  of  their  Alma  Mater.  The  work  was  placed 
in  charge  of  a  committee,  consisting  of  Benjamin  J. 
Radford,  Clara  S.  Davidson,  Carl  Johann,  Oliver  W. 
Stewart,  with  Elmira  J.  Dickinson  as  chairman. 

The  chairman  of  the  committee  was  chosen 
editor  of  the  book.  Asa  S.  Fisher,  the  first  teacher 
of  the  school  that  developed  into  Eureka  College, 
who  was  associated  with  it  nearly  forty  years,  and 
who  is  the  only  survivor  of  those  who  were  promi- 
nent in  starting  the  enterprise,  was  appointed  histor- 
ian for  the  period  extending  from  the  beginning  of 
it  to  the  time  of  his  leaving  Eureka  in  1886.  From 
that  time  to  the  date  of  publication,  Carl  Johann  was 
more  fully  associated  with  all  the  interests  of  the 
institution  than  any  other  person,  and  was  therefore 
chosen  to  prepare  the  record  of  that  period. 

Faithful  effort  has  been  made  to  procure  photo- 
graphs of  all  who  have  been  regular  teachers  in  the 

(3) 

M587077 


4  EXPLANATORY. 

institution,  with  biographical  sketches  of  them;  and, 
although  success  in  this  has  not  been  complete,  it 
has  been  fairly  good. 

It  was  hoped  that  the  work  might  be  brought  out 
by  Commencement,  1893,  and  the  committee  strove 
hard  to  do  this;  but  in  the  preparation  difficulties 
were  encountered  that  made  it  quite  impossible  ex- 
cept at  the  sacrifice  of  merit.  Therefore  longer  time 
has  been  taken  and  better  work  done. 

Hoping  that  the  volume  may  receive  a  cordial  wel- 
come from  the  present  friends  of  the  college,  and  be 
a  means  of  winning  for  it  many  others,  without  fur- 
ther preface  it  is  offered  to  its  readers. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


HISTORICAL. 

CHAPTER   I. 

Walnut  Grove— The  Old  Spring— The  "Burgoo"— Elder  John  T.  Jones  Opens 
a  School— Walnut  Grove  Seminary— The  Great  Henderson  Meeting- 
School  Work  Resumed— Walnut  Grove  Academy— EKler  John  Lindsey— 
Walnut  Grove  Literary  Institute— Philosophical  and  Chemical  Apparatus 
—An  Appeal  to  the  Missionary  Convention. 13 

CHAPTER  II. 

Cholera  Epidemic— Resignation  of  Elder  Lindsey— Professor  John  H.  Neville 
—The  Abingdon  Missionary  Convention— Elders  Lindsey  and  Davenport 
Appointed  Canvassers— The  Postofflce— The  First  Bequest— Organization 
of  the  Board  of  Education -Session  of  1853-4— Report  from  the  Board  of 
Education— Received  but  not  Adopted. 29 

CHAPTER   III. 

The  Music  Department— The  College  Charter— First  Session  Under  the  Char- 
ter—The  College  Campus— Endowment  Fund— A  College  Building  Erected 
—Failure  of  the  Endowment— Prof.  C.  L.  Loos  Accepts  the  Presidency- 
Resignation  of  President  Loos— Resignation  of  Prof.  Neville— B.  W. 
Johnson— Periclesian  Society— Mathesian  Society— Excelsior  Society— 
A  Contraction  and  Its  Cause— The  First  Graduate— Faculty  of  1860-1.  44 

CHAPTER   IV. 

The  First  Secretary— The  First  Treasurer— John  Darst— Attitude  in  the 
Civil  War— George  Callender— B.  W.  Johnson— J.  M.  Allen— The  College 
Aid  Fund— H.  O.  Newcomb— H.  W.  Everest— The  Endowment— A.  G. 
Ewing— The  Chapel— The  $12,000  Loan— Resignation  of  President  Everest 
—A.  M.  Weston-B.  J.  Radford. 60 

CHAPTER   V. 

H.  W.  Everest  Again  President— The  Boarding-House  Company— Apparatus 
Replenished— Faculty  of  1881-2— Endowment— Abingdon  College  Consoli- 
dated with  Eureka  College— The  Alumni  et  Alumnae.  ...  74 

(5) 


6  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Union  of  Abingdon  College  with  Eureka  College— The  Mission  Tabernacle- 
Faculty  for  1885-6— Professor  A.  S.  Fisher— Session  of  1886-7— Lida's 
Wood. 82 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Burgess  Memorial  Hall— Session  of  1892  3— Session  of  1893-i— The  Present 
Condition  and  Needs  of  Eureka  College. 92 


BIOGKAPHIOAL. 

CHAPTER   I. 

PRESIDENTS  OF  THE   BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES. 

John  T.  Jones— Ben  Major— Elijah  Dickinson— Albert  G.  Evving  — John 
Darst. 109 

CHAPTER   II. 

TEACHERS  FROM  1848  TO  1860. 

A.  S.  Fisher— Sue  Jones  Grant— John  Lindsey— Sarah  Fisher  Conover— Caro- 
line Neville  Pearre— Elmira  J  Dickinson— O.  A.  Burgess— E.  A.  Conover 
— C.  L.  Loos— George  Callender— J.  M.  Allen— B.  W.  Johnson— Eichard 
H.  Johnson— J.  H.  Eowell— Mary  Clark  Hawk.  ....  134 

CHAPTER   III. 

TEACHERS  FROM  1860  TO  1880. 

H.  W.  Everest— H.  O.  Nevvcomb— B.  J.  Eadford— A.  M.  Weston— O.  P.  Hay— 
D.  M.  Blair— James  Kirk— Carl  Johann— E.  W.  Dickinson— A.  J.  Young- 
blood.  165 

CHAPTER   IV. 

TEACHERS  FROM  1880  TO  1894. 

N.  L.  Eichmond— J.  V.  Coombs— F.  M.  Bruner— Henry  Lane  Bruner— W.  S. 
Errett— S.  E.  Meek— H.  N.  Herrick— G.  W.  Hootman— James  Chalmers— 
Sina  Stickel  Thomas— H.  A.  Minassian— E.  E.  Conklin— B.  C.  Deweese— 
J.  M.  Atwater— E.  E.  Hieronymus. 185 

CHAPTER  V. 

MUSIC  AND  ART  TEACHERS. 

Susie  Smith  Johnson— Belle  Johnson  Allen— Emma  Smith  DeVoe— Eugene 
Plowe— Eva  M.  Wright— Ella  F.  Taylor— Emma  E.  Page— W.  W.  Lauder— 
Mina  Vandervoort  Miller— J.  W.  Metcalf— Charles  W.  Campbell— Sarah 
Garrett  Humphrey— Clara  Hatch  Stevens— May  Irene  Burrows— Jessie 
Bruner  Minassian. 202 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


REMINISCENCES. 

Reminiscences  of  Eureka.    Mrs.  Sue  E.  Grant. 217 

Old  Academy  Days  in  Walnut  Grove.    B.  W.  Johnson.     -       -       -       -  226 
Transitory  Reminiscences   of    Walnut  Grove   and  Eureka  — 1851-1855. 

J.  H.  Pickrell. 232 

Three  Reminiscences.    B.  J.  Radford. 242 

From  a  Student  of  1855  and  1858.    Henry  A.  Ford. 248 

Experiences  of  a  Ministerial  Student.     W.  F.  Richardson.       -               -  257 

Story  of  a  Newspaper  Man.    S.  F.  Davidson. 264 

Bright  Memories.    Ella  Myers  Huffman.        - 272 

Some  Recent  Reminiscences.    Ella  Seass  Steicart.  281 

My  Memories.    J.  Harvey  Rowell. 287 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

The  Church  at  Eureka. 293 

Amos  Sutton  Hayden. 298 

John  Garland  Waggoner.  300 

William  H.  Cannon.         -       ...               308 

Elder  H.  D.  Palmer. -       -       -  309 

Mrs.  O.  A.  Burgess.            311 

Alumni  Reunion.    J.  B.  Radford. 314 

Historical  Sketch  of  Abingdon  College.    J.  C.  Reynolds.     -       -       -       -  322 

Abtngdon  College  As  I  Saw  It.    J.  Hopwood.            326 

Recollections  of  Abingdon  College.    J.  H.  Garrison.           -       -       -       -  336 

The  College  Bell.    A.  S.  Fisher. 343 

To  Alma  Mater.    B.  J.  Radford.             - 345 

Present  Board  of  Trustees.                                                                -       -  346 

Officers  of  Board  of  Trustees. 346 

Committees  of  the  Board.             .       .       .                      ....  346 

Teachers  of  Eureka  College. 347 

The  Alumni.           349 


DIVISIONS. 


HISTORICAL. 
BIOGRAPHICAL. 
REMINISCENCES. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 


HISTORICAL. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Walnut  Grove— The  Old  Spring— The  "Burgoo  "—Elder  John 
T.  Jones  Opens  a  School — Walnut  Grove  Seminary — The 
Great  Henderson  Meeting — School  Work  Resumed — AValnut 
Grove  Academy — Elder  John  Lindsey — Walnut  Grove  Lit- 
erary Institute — Philosophical  and  Chemical  Apparatus — An 
Appeal  to  the  Missionary  Convention. 

WALNUT    GROVE. 

The  community  known  as  Walnut  Grove,  Wood- 
ford  county,  Illinois,  had  its  origin  in  the  early 
20's,  while  Central  Illinois  was  practically  a  vast 
wilderness.  It  was  rapidly  promoted  by  emi- 
grants from  the  adjoining  States,  most  of  them 
hailing  from  Old  Kentucky,  bringing  with  them 
characteristics  of  that  noble  people,  and  soon  the 
community  became  widely  and  favorably  known 
for  its  hospitality  and  other  social  distinctions. 

THE    OLD    SPRING. 

At  or  near  the  head  of  a  ravine,  and  not  forty 
rods  south  of  the  present  site  of  Eureka  College, 

the    early   pioneers    found  a   sparkling   fountain 

(13) 


14  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

gurgling  up  through  broken  strata  and  supplying 
the  water  of  a  rill  winding  its  way  over  the  roots 
and  pebbles,  leaves,  twigs  and  other  impediments 
to  the  creek  near  by.  An  excavation  was  here 
made  which  was  walled  up  with  fragments  of 
rocks  found  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  origin  of  the 
little  rill  soon  came  to  be  known  as  "  The  Spring." 
Here  pedestrians  and  teamsters,  those  on  horse- 
back and  others,  often  halted  to  drink  of  the 
limpid  water  and  to  rest  beneath  the  cool  shade 
of  the  primeval  forest.  Near  the  spring,  also  the 
early  pioneers  were  wont  to  assemble  beneath 
the  noble  forest  trees  in  religious  convocations,  for 
the  Fourth  of  July  celebrations  and  for  other  pur- 
poses. 

But  the  "Old  Spring"  is  no  longer  a  prominent 
feature  of  Walnut  Grove.  Since  cultivated  fields 
and  pastures  have  occupied  the  tracts  formerly 
covered  by  dense  forests  and  the  luxuriant  growth 
of  the  wild  meadows  of  the  prairies,  the  strata 
that  formerly  produced  the  famous  little  fountain 
have  been  so  far  modified  by  the  evaporating 
power  of  the  sun  and  other  causes,  that  the  spark- 
ling liquid  no  longer  comes  forth,  and  the  famous 
"  Old  Spring  "  exists  only  in  history. 

THE    "  BURGOO." 

The  early  inhabitants  of  Walnut  Grove  were 
free  from  all  caste  distinction.  They  all  moved 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  15 

on  the  same  social  plane.  Religiously,  they  were 
generally  communicants  of  the  Christian  Church, 
and  habitually  addressed  one  another  as  brother 
or  sister.  Annually  they  convened  near  the  "  Old 
Spring "  to  enjoy  the  rites  of  a  popular  feast 
known  in  the  locality  as  the  "  Burgoo."*  It  was 
a  feast  peculiar  to  that  people  ;  was  introduced  by 
Elder  John  T.  Jones,  formerly  from  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  was  held  in  the  springtime,  or  early 
summer,  when  young  squirrels  were  abundant. 

When  all  the  surroundings  appeared  propitious, 
some  of  the  recognized  leaders  would  proclaim  a 
day  for  the  feast,  when  a  general  invitation  would 
be  circulated. 

In  the  morning  of  the  appointed  day,  the  old  men 
and  women,  the  young  maidens  and  children  would 
start  for  the  "  Spring,"  some  going  on  foot,  some  on 
horseback,  and  others  in  wagons,  all  aiming  to 
reach  the  place  of  rendezvous  by  nine  o'clock  of 
the  forenoon. 

The  young  men  and  experts  at  hunting  would 
traverse  the  forests  in  search  of  suitable  game  for 
the  festival.  Squirrels  being  numerous,  the  hunt- 
ers invariably  secured  an  abundance  on  their  way 
to  the  "  Spring." 

It  was  always  assumed  that  Elder  Elijah  Dick- 
inson— they  called  him  "  Uncle  'Lijah  " — would 

*Probably  a  corruption  of  the  French  word  Bagout,  meaning 
a  meat  stew. 


16  HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

provide  kettles  and  the  necessary  condiments. 
The  good  old  patriarch  was  sure  to  be  at  the  place 
of  rendezvous  at  an  early  hour,  when  he  would 
diligently  proceed  to  kindle  the  needed  fire,  pro- 
vide for  the  suspension  of  his  kettles  and  adjust 
other  essential  preliminaries  before  the  arrival  of 
the  bouyant  hunters  with  their  respective  trophies 
of  success. 

On  arriving  with  their  game,  the  exulting  and 
jubilant  hunters,  while  narrating  their  many  and 
assumed  important  feats  of  the  morning  raid, 
would  speedily  and  neatly  prepare  the  same  for 
cooking,  and  turn  it  over  to  Uncle  'Lijah,  who, 
assisted  by  some  good  sisters,  would  quietly  pro- 
ceed to  complete  preparations  for  the  social 
dinner. 

While  these  preparations  were  in  progress,  all 
others  were  at  liberty  to  spend  the  hours  in  any 
way  most  congenial  to  their  respective  tastes.  The 
fathers  and  mothers  might  be  seen  in  groups,  on 
chairs  and  other  improvised  seats,  in  shady  nooks, 
discussing  economic  questions  pertaining  to  the 
future  improvements  of  the  new  country.  Some  of 
the  young  men  engaged  in  sundry  athletic  sports, 
running  foot  races,  jumping  and  wrestling.  Oth- 
ers of  the  young  people  might  be  seen  congregated 
beneath  the  boughs  of  the  noble  forest  trees, 
"  chasing  dull  care  away  "  by  gleeful  songs  and 
romping  plays. 


HISTORY  OF   EUREKA    COLLEGE.  17 

Meanwhile  Uncle  'Lijah  and  his  volunteer  helps 
kept  diligent  watch  over  the  contents  of  the  boiling 
kettles,  seasoning  them  from  time  to  time  with 
cayenne  pepper  and  other  condiments,  until  the 
whole  was  brought  to  a  degree  of  palatable  per- 
fection assumed  by  the  manager  to  be  good  and 
very  good.  Although  the  process  was  somewhat 
tedious,  yet  the  sun  would  only  have  passed  the 
noon-day  meridian  ere  Uncle  'Lijah  would  an- 
nounce "  Dinner  ready."  At  this  announcement, 
conversations  and  all  sports  would  promptly  be 
suspended  ;  and  in  a  quiet,  orderly  manner  all 
would  proceed  to  examine  their  respective  baskets 
and  boxes  for  bowls,  spoons,  plates,  knives  and 
forks  and  bread.  Uncle  'Lijah,  with  dipper  in 
hand,  stood  guard  over  the  savory  contents  of  his 
capacious  kettles,  and  in  his  accustomed  pleasant 
mood  would  bountifully  supply  every  one  with 
soup  or  meat  as  bowl  or  plate  would  be  presented. 

The  social  dinner  of  so  many  courses,  enlivened 
by  anecdote,  story-telling,  wit  and  repartee,  being 
over,  conversations,  discussions,  athletic  sports 
and  romping  plays  would  be  resumed  and  contin- 
ued until  the  rapidly  lengthening  shadows  "  told 
the  hour  for  retiring,"  when  all  would  depart  for 
their  respective  homes,  delighted  with  the  adven- 
tures of  the  day. 
2 


18  HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

ELDER  JOHN  T.  JONES  OPENS  A  SCHOOL. 

About  the  year  1847,  Elder  B.  Major,  E.  B. 
Myers,  Elder  Wm.  Davenport,  David  Deweese,  A. 
M.  Myers,  B.  J.  Radford,  Sr.,  Elder  E.  Dickinson, 
Elder  John  T.  Jones,  Wm.  P.  Atterberry  and  R.  M. 
Clark  were  the  prominent  and  leading  citizens  of 
the  community,  the  major  part  of  them  immigrants 
from  Kentucky,  and  all  were  members  of  the 
Christian  Church.  They  were  all  men  of  advanced 
views  on  the  subject  of  education,  and  recognized 
the  establishment  of  schools  of  a  high  order  an 
essential  in  the  great  work  of  developing  the 
resources  of  the  Prairie  State. 

Elder  John  T.  Jones,  an  evangelist  of  distinc- 
tion in  Central  Illinois,  was  induced  to  open  a 
select  school  for  the  education  of  girls,  in  the 
autumn  of  1847,  upon  his  own  premises,  where 
now  is  the  residence  of  Elder  W.  H.  Boles,  within 
a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  present  site  of  Eureka 
College.  In  this  school  his  wife — known  in  the 
community  as  "  Aunt  Emily  " — a  woman  of  supe- 
rior education  for  that  time,  and  his  daughter, 
Miss  Susan  E.  Jones,  who  was  educated  at  Jack- 
sonville, Illinois,  were  the  principal  teachers. 

The  school  was  liberally  patronized,  and  the 
outlook  for  the  near  future  was  very  flattering. 
But  an  unforeseen  calamity  blasted  the  buoyant 
hopes  of  the  projectors.  In  the  winter  of  1847-8, 


1  AV.  P.  Atteberry. 

2  David  Deweese. 

3  B.  J.  Radford,  Sr. 

4  R.  M.  Clark. 


5  E.  B.  Myers. 

6  A.  M.  Myers. 

7  H.  D.  Palmer. 

8  Wm.  Davenport. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE.  19 

a  malignant  form  of  the  measles  became  epidemic 
in  the  community.  Many  of  the  students  suffered 
from  attacks  of  the  disease.  In  the  panic  ensuing 
the  institution  was  suspended,  the  students  return- 
ing to  their  several  homes.  The  community  was 
greatly  scourged  and  the  school  was  never  revived. 

WALNUT   GROVE    SEMINART. 

In  August,  1848,  A.  S.  Fisher,  a  student  from 
Bethany  College,  appeared  in  the  community  and 
made  application  for  a  school,  proposing  to  teach 
all  the  common  English  branches,  the  higher 
mathematics,  natural  philosophy,  chemistry,  rhet- 
oric, logic,  etc.,  etc.  He  was  employed  to  teach  a 
school  for  ten  months,  Elder  B.  Major,  E.  B. 
Myers,  Elder  E.  Dickinson,  B.  J.  Radford,  Sr.,  and 
others  guaranteeing  his  salary.  On  the  tenth  day 
of  September,  1848,  the  school  was  opened  in  a 
small  frame  building,  modestly  provided  with 
seats,  desks  and  other  furniture,  and  located  near 
the  northeast  corner  of  the  present  Eureka  Ceme- 
tery. 

THE  GREAT  HENDERSON  MEETING. 

Soon  after  the  opening  of  the  school,  Elder  D.  P. 
Henderson,  an  eminent  Christian  evangelist  from 
Jacksonville,  Illinois,  commenced  a  series  of  meet- 
ings in  the  community,  which  was  protracted  for 


20  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

many  days,  producing  a  wonderful  revival  among 
the  inhabitants  of  Walnut  Grove. 

There  had  been  at  Walnut  Grove  a  Church  of 
Christ  for  many  years,  one  having  been  organized 
in  the  early  30's.  In  this  church  the  widely-known 
and  popular  Christian  evangelist,  Elder  William 
Davenport,  had  his  membership. 

Elder  Davenport,  James  Robeson  of  Panther 
Creek,  A.  Pealer  of  White  Oak  Grove,  James  A. 
Lindsey  of  Tazewell  county,  and  other  pioneer 
Christian  preachers,  had  long  been  teaching  the 
people  the  true  doctrine  of  the  Bible.  Elder  H.  D. 
Palmer,  the  aged  patriarch  of  Marshall  county,  had 
often,  by  his  earnest  exhortations  from  the  pulpit, 
and  by  his  exemplary  course  when  mingling  with 
the  people  in  their  daily  avocations,  urged  them  to 
forsake  sinful  ways  and  unite  with  the  Christian 
army.  And  the  great  Alexander  Campbell,  influ- 
enced by  his  knowledge  as  to  the  cherished  design 
of  Elder  B.  Major  and  others  to  establish  a  seat  of 
learning  in  Walnut  Grove,  had  made  that  com- 
munity a  prominent  feature  in  more  than  one  of 
his  western  tours. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  contributory 
causes  during  the  protracted  effort  the  membership 
of  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Walnut  Grove  was  in- 
creased by  nearly  one  hundred  additions.  The 
occasion  was  long  remembered  and  referred  to  as 
"The  great  Henderson  meeting  of 


HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE.  21 

SCHOOL    WORK    RESUMED. 

During  the  progress  of  the  protracted  meeting, 
the  school  work  had  been  suspended.  At  the  ter- 
mination of  the  meeting  the  work  was  resumed, 
and  continued  with  but  slight  interruption  to  the 
end  of  the  session,  July  4th,  1849. 

Elder  Major  and  his  coadjutors,  in  an  interview 
with  the  young  teacher,  urged  him  to  continue 
with  them  and  conduct  the  school  another  session. 
Upon  the  following  conditions  he  promised  to  com- 
ply with  the  request : 

1.  That  an   addition  properly  furnished  with    seats,  desks, 
and  other  appliances  be  made  to  the  school-house. 

2.  That  he  be  permitted  to  employ  an  assistant  to  aid  him  in 
the  primary  teaching. 

3.  That  adequate  provision  be  made  for  boarding  all  students 
from  other  localities. 

4.  That  he  be  allowed  the  net  income  from  tuition  fees  as  his 
salary. 

The  preliminaries  for  the  ensuing  year  having 
been  arranged,  the  contracting  parties  proceeded 
diligently  to  prepare  for  the  fulfillment  of  their 
respective  parts  of  the  agreement,  each  party  pro- 
viding "  ways  and  means  "  of  its  own,  "without  let 
or  hindrance  "  from  the  other. 

The  said  A.  S.  Fisher  had  been  negotiating  with 
a  certain  party  of  Marshall  county  concerning  the 
formation  of  a  co-partnership  wherein  the  relation 
of  the  parties  is  expressed  by  the  correlative 
terms,  husband  and  wife.  The  pending  negotia- 


22  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

tions  having  resulted  in  a  mutual  agreement,  rati- 
fications were  exchanged  at  the  residence  of  Elder 
H.  D.  Palmer,  on  the  25th  day  of  July,  1849. 

During  the  summer  of  1849,  the  first  printed 
announcement  of  the  school  was  put  in  circulation. 
It  read  as  follows  : 

WALNUT   GKOVE    SEMINARY. 

The  second  session  of  this  Institution  will  commence  on  the 
First  Monday  of  September  next.  The  directors  hope  to  have 
their  new  building  completed,  and  ample  boarding  accommoda- 
tions will  be  provided  for  all  students  attending  the  Seminary 
from  other  localities. 

The  course  of  instruction  will  include  Reading,  Penmanship, 
Arithmetic,  Geography,  English  Grammar,  History,  Algebra, 
Geometry,  Trigonometry,  Surveying,  Rhetoric,  Logic,  English 
Composition,  Chemistry  and  Natural  Philosophy. 

TERMS. 

The  academic  year  will  close  on  the  4th  day  of  July,  1850. 
The  price  of  tuition  will  range  from  eight  to  fifteen  dollars  per 
session,  according  to  the  branches  studied.  Those  attending 
from  other  localities  can  obtain  boarding,  fuel  and  lights  in- 
cluded, at  from  one  dollar  to  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents 
per  week. 

SITUATION. 

The  Walnut  Grove  Seminary  is  located  in  Walnut  Grove, 
Woodford  County,  Illinois,  about  twenty  miles  east  of  Peoria. 
For  health  of  climate,  beautiful  scenery,  intelligence  and  mor- 
ality among  the  people,  the  community  is  not  surpassed  by  any 
locality  of  the  State.  A.  S.  FISHER,  Principal. 

E.  B.  MYERS,  ] 
E.  DICKINSON,  \-Directors. 
R.  BARD, 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE.  23 

The  Principal  employed  Miss  Sue  E.  Jones,  a 
graduate  from  Jacksonville  and  a  young  lady  of 
superior  ability  and  tact  as  a  teacher,  to  assist  him 
in  conducting  the  primary  classes.  The  capacity 
of  the  school  had  been  increased,  and  consisted 
of  two  rooms  well  supplied  with  the  school  furni- 
ture of  that  time  —  "home-made"  blackboards, 
seats  and  desks. 

In  accordance  with  the  printed  circular,  the 
second  session  was  opened  on  the  first  Monday  of 
September.  The  number  of  students  in  attendance 
was  very  encouraging,  and  the  weekly  applica- 
tions for  admittance  soon  impressed  Elder  Major 
and  others  that  additional  room  would  be  requisite 
in  the  near  future.  Accordingly,  in  the  autumn 
of  1849  the  promoters  of  the  school  were  called 
together  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  erec- 
tion of  a  more  commodious  building. 

At  this  meeting  Elder  Major  insisted  that  an 
effort  should  be  made  to  erect  a  two  story  brick 
building  at  a  cost  of  twenty-five  hundred  dollars. 
Many  of  those  present  expressed  very  grave  doubts 
as  to  the  probability  of  raising  a  sum  of  money 
so  large.  Mr.  Major  listened  patiently  to  the  dis- 
cussion, but  kept  silent  till  called  out.  Some  one 
said,  "  Brother  Major,  let  us  hear  from  you." 
"Brother  Major!"  "Brother  Major!"  was  earn- 
estly called  out  from  various  parts  of  the  audi- 
ence. In  response  Mr.  Major  said,  "Brethren, 


24  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

this  is  a  matter  very  dear  to  my  heart.  You  all 
know  that  I  have  long  entertained  the  hope  of  wit- 
nessing an  institution  of  high  order  established  in 
our  midst.  Perhaps  I  am  too  sanguine,  but  I 
believe  we  can  raise  the  money."  "  Tell  us  how, 
Brother  Major,"  said  some  one,  "what  is  your 
plan  ? "  Said  he,  u  I'll  tell  you."  After  a  pause 
he  continued,  "  Let  Brother  David  Deweese, 
Brother  E.  B.  Myers  and  myself  open  the  sub- 
scription, each  writing  $150  opposite  his  name, 
and  appoint  Brother  William  Davenport  to  act  as 
our  solicitor  to  canvass  this  community  and  others 
near  us."  Messrs.  Myers  and  Deweese,  being  both 
present,  readily  agreed  to  the  proposition.  Elder 
Davenport  was  appointed  solicitor,  who,  by  his 
earnest  and  eloquent  efforts,  obtained  the  requisite 
amount  of  pledges  in  a  few  weeks. 

WALNUT   GROVE    ACADEMY. 

In  December,  1849,  the  school  was  incorporated 
as  Walnut  Grove  Academy,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  twelve  trustees — Elder  John  T.  Jones  being 
president,  and  A.  S.  Fisher,  secretary. 

The  following  interview  between  Elder  B.  Major, 
the  recognized  founder  of  Eureka  College,  and  A. 
S.  Fisher,  who  spent  thirty-eight  years  as  a  teacher 
and  earnest  promoter  of  that  institution,  may  serve 
to  indicate  that  the  development  of  the  College 
from  the  humble  seminary  of  1849  was  not  a  for- 


Aff TWO  AWU.5E-7 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  25 

tuitous  accident,  but  was  the  legitimate  outgrowth 
of  an  ideal  entertained  by  the  original  promoters. 
The  interview  was  in  the  early  spring  of  1850. 

The  two  brethren  were  walking  along  the  road 
leading  eastward  from  the  Seminary  building, 
and,  as  usual,  conversation  was  in  relation  to  the 
school.  As  they  neared  the  edge  of  the  Grove,  at 
the  suggestion  of  Elder  Major  they  stopped  and 
turned  about,  facing  the  gentle  elevation  on 
which  Walnut  Grove  Academy  was  subsequently 
erected — the  lot  just  west  of  the  one  on  which  the 
gentlemen's  boarding  halls  now  stand.  It  was 
then  dense  woods.  Elder  Major  remarked,  "  On 
that  rise  we  intend  to  build  a  college,  and  we  want 
you  to  be  the  president."  Mr.  Fisher  replied,  "  I 
am  not  ambitious  for  such  a  position,  and  possibly 
have  not  the  requisite  qualifications,  but  I  am 
strongly  in  sympathy  with  the  enterprise,  and  to 
the  extent  of  my  power  will  aid  the  brethren  to 
push  forward  the  noble  work  they  have  so  gen- 
erously undertaken.  I  am  without  pecuniary 
wealth ;  but  if  the  brethren  of  the  Grove  will  fur- 
nish money  to  erect  the  necessary  buildings,  to 
provide  suitable  furniture,  a  library,  etc.,  I  will 
utilize  my  humble  ability  as  an  organizer  and 
instructor  to  assist  in  making  the  pending  enter- 
prise successful."  Said  Elder  Major,  "  We  will 
most  certainly  succeed,  and  you  shall  always  hold 
a  prominent  place  on  the  Board  of  Instruction." 


26  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

ELDER   JOHN   LINDSEY. 

To  provide  for  the  accommodation  of  students 
wishing  to  study  the  ancient  classics  of  Greece 
and  Rome,  Elder  John  Lindsey,  a  young  evan- 
gelist of  great  promise,  a  graduate  of  Bethany  Col- 
lege— class  of  '48 — was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Instruction.  He  accepted  the  appoint- 
ment, and  promptly  appeared  in  September,  1850, 
to  assist  in  the  school  under  its  new  name. 

The  new  building  was  not  completed  till  the  fol- 
lowing December.  In  the  meantime  the  Seminary 
building  was  utilized  as  a  substitute. 

WALNUT    GROVE   LITERARY    INSTITUTE. 

While  waiting  for  the  completion  of  the  new 
building,  a  literary  society  was  organized  by  the 
students,  which  they  christened  "  Walnut  Grove 
Literary  Institute/'  The  society  held  weekly  ses- 
sions, at  which  the  regular  performances  were 
reading  original  essays,  declamations,  orations, 
debates  and  miscellaneous  business.  It  was  a 
useful  and  important  auxiliary  of  the  Academy. 
Many  years  after  it  was  incorporated  as  The 
Edmund  Burke  Society. 

It  has  had  an  uninterrupted  existence  since  its 
first  organization,  although  soon  after  the  Academy 
was  merged  into  Eureka  College  the  original  name 
was  dropped  for  that  of  The  Edmund  Burke  Soci- 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  27 

ety.  Under  its  auspices  hundreds  of  students  have 
received  a  training  in  the  rules  of  parliamentary 
usage  that  has  contributed  largely  to  make  them 
valuable  citizens  in  the  many  localities  where  they 
have  respectively  located  since  leaving  their  Alma 
Mater. 

Under  the  supervision  and  fostering  care  of  the 
college  authorities  it  has  ever  been  an  important 
and  useful  organ  of  the  general  college  work. 

PHILOSOPHICAL    AND    CHEMICAL    APPARATUS. 

During  the  session  of  1850-1,  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees made  an  appropriation  for  the  purchase  of 
apparatus  needed  by  the  teachers  in  illustrating 
arid  demonstrating  the  laws  of  Physical  Science. 

The  money  was  transmitted  to  Professor  Ray,  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  who  was  appointed  a  special 
agent,  and  instructed  to  select,  purchase  and 
forward  to  Peoria  such  apparatus  as  he  might 
deem  most  useful  to  the  school.  He  made  a  most 
excellent  selection,  which  he  forwarded  to  Peoria 
during  the  summer  vacation  of  1851.  It  was  there 
received  by  A.  S.  Fisher,  conveyed  by  wagon  to 
the  Academy,  unpacked,  tested,  and  placed  in  the 
apparatus  room  for  future  use. 

AN    APPEAL    TO    THE    MISSIONARY    CONVENTION. 

The  Annual  Missionary  Convention  of  the 
Church  of  Christ  in  Illinois  for  1851  was  held  in 


28  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

Walnut  Grove.  The  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Academy  explained  to  that  convention  the  nature 
and  design  of  their  incorporation  ;  that  they  were 
endeavoring  to  establish  an  institution  of  learn- 
ing where  the  young  people  of  both  sexes  might 
receive  the  advantages  of  a  liberal  education 
under  the  care  and  influence  of  Christian  teachers, 
entirely  free  from  all  sectarian  prejudices. 

While  the  Convention,  informally,  were  quite 
liberal  in  expressing  their  hearty  approval  of  the 
movement,  and,  in  many  ways,  commended  the 
work  of  the  original  promoters,  and  strongly  urged 
the  Trustees  to  persevere  in  their  work,  yet  they 
neglected  to  make  any  appropriation  to  aid  in  the 
future  development.  There  was  no  formal  refusal 
to  endorse  the  Academy  and  to  give  it  "substan- 
tial aid  and  comfort"  but  immediate  action  was 
postponed  by  the  appointment  of  a  committee  on 
Education,  with  instructions  to  report  at  the  next 
annual  convention,  to  be  held  at  Abingdon. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Cholera  Epidemic — Resignation  of  Elder  Lindsey — Professor 
John  H.  Neville — The  Abingdon  Missionary  Convention — 
Elders  Lindsey  and  Davenport  Appointed  Canvassers — The 
Postoffice — The  First  Bequest — Organization  of  the  Board  of 
Education — Session  of  1853-4 — Report  from  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation— Received  but  not  Adopted. 

CHOLERA    EPIDEMIC. 

Near  the  close  of  the  fourth  session,  the  institu- 
tion was  interrupted  by  the  sudden  appearance  of 
the  Asiatic  cholera  in  the  community.  One  of  the 
victims  was  Elder  B.  Major,  President  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees.  In  his  death  the  academy  suffered 
the  loss  of  its  most  zealous  promoter,  the  church 
its  leading  elder  and  the  community  its  most  influ- 
ential citizen. 

Soon  after  his  death,  at  a  call  meeting  of  the 
Board,  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted: 

WHEREAS,  in  the  dispensation  of  Divine  Providence,  it  has 
pleased  the  Heavenly  Father  to  remove  from  among  us  our  be- 
loved president,  the  founder  of  this  institution,  Elder  Ben  Major, 
therefore, 

Be  it  Resolved  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Walnut  Grove 
Academy,  that  in  the  death  of  Bro.  Ben  Major  we  recognize  the 
loss  of  an  able  counselor  and  faithful  presiding  officer,  that  we 
deeply  sympathize  with  his  affectionate  consort  and  family  in 

(29) 


30  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

their  sudden  and  sorrowful  bereavement,  and  with  the  whole 
community  in  their  irreparable  loss. 

Resolved,  That  this  preamble  and  these  resolutions  be  spread 
upon  our  record,  and  that  a  copy  of  them  be  delivered  to  Sister 
Major,  widow  of  the  deceased. 

E.  DICKINSON,  President. 

A.  S.  FISHER,  Secretary. 

Upon  the  death  of  Elder  Major,  Elder  E.  Dick- 
inson was  unanimously  elected  president  of  the 
corporation,  and  for  ten  eventful  years,  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death  without  an  opposing  vote,  he 
was  annually  re-elected.  He  was  a  man  of  incor- 
ruptible integrity,  a  devoted  friend  of  the  school,  a 
beloved  officer  of  the  church  and  an  honorable  citi- 
zen of  the  community. 

The  epidemic  was  of  short  duration,'  but  the 
.students  became  greatly  alarmed  and  promptly 
departed  for  their  respective 'homes.  No  effort  was 
made  to  recall  them,  and  thus  the  session  was 
abruptly  closed  about  one  month  before  the  stipu- 
lated time,  being  the  only  serious  interruption  to 
the  institution  from  its  first  organization,  in  1848. 

RESIGNATION    OF   ELDER   LINDSEY. 

During  the  summer  of  1852,  soon  after  the  chol- 
era crisis,  it  became  known  that  Elder  Lindsey  con- 
templated resigning  his  place  on  the  Board  of 
Instruction.  Notwithstanding  the  managers  of  the 
school  earnestly  labored  to  prevent  such  a  step, 
fearing  it  would  be  disastrous,  yet  the  resignation 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  31 

was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Trustees,  who 
very  reluctantly  accepted  it,  knowing  his  ability 
as  an  instructor  and  his  great  influence  over  the 
students. 

Professor  John  H.  Neville,  a  graduate  of  Bethany 
College,  class  of  '49,  a  young  man  of  excellent  lit- 
erary attainments,  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
He  accepted  the  appointment,  with  the  proviso 
that  he  should  be  professor  of  higher  mathematics 
and  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages. 

At  the  opening  of  the  session  in  September,  1852, 
Elder  Lindsey  assembled  with  the  students  to  bid 
them  a  formal  farewell  as  one  of  their  teachers, 
and,  in  a  brief  way,  alluded  to  the  cholera  episode 
of  the  previous  session.  He  spoke  very  tenderly 
of  the  great  loss  sustained  by  the  academy  in 
the  death  of  the  lamented  Elder  Major,  and  to  the 
vacant  place  among  the  students  created  by  the 
death  of  Joseph  Davenport,  a  young  nephew  of 
Elder  Major.  Said  Joseph  was  a  young  man  of 
superior  natural  ability.  He  was  a  great  favorite 
in  the  community,  and  was  a  recognized  leader 
among  his  fellow-students.  He  was  modest,  a  hard 
student  and  an  earnest  promoter  of  any  exercise 
among  his  fellow-students  that  seemed  to  be  for  the 
general  good.  He  was,  therefore,  a  prominent 
worker  in  the  Walnut  Grove  Literary  Institute. 
But  "  death  is  no  respecter  of  persons."  He  was 
stricken  down  by  the  dread  disease,  notwith- 


32  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

standing  the  earnest  efforts  of  school-fellows  and 
other  friends  to  save  his  young  life. 

PROFESSOR   JOHN    H.    NEVILLE. 

Professor  Neville  assumed  his  place  in  the  acad- 
emy as  the  successor  of  Elder  John  Lindsey,  and 
soon  became  a  popular  teacher.  All  classes 
allotted  to  his  management  were  conducted  into 
the  labyrinths  of  literature  in  a  way  that  devel- 
oped within  his  students  an  insatiable  desire  for 
thorough  investigation,  and  accordingly  all  his 
pupils  became  ardent  workers,  and  ambitious  to 
excel  as  proficients.  He  had  an  inoifensive  way 
of  impressing  all  his  classes  that  a  master  mind 
was  at  the  helm,  and  that  their  success  and  their 
best  interests  required  an  unchallenged  and  cheer- 
ful compliance  with  all  his  requisitions  as  their 
teacher. 

THE    ABLNGDON    MISSIONARY    CONVENTION. 

In  September,  1852,  the  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Church  of  Christ  in  Illinois  assembled  at  Abing- 
don.  The  Committee  on  Education,  appointed  at 
the  Convention  in  Walnut  Grove,  in  1851,  submit- 
ted a  report  recommending  the  appointment  of  an 
Educational  Board  to  prepare  a  plan  of  operation 
and  report  to  the  next  convention.  The  report 
was  adopted,  and  Elder  William  Davenport,  Elder 
John  Lindsey,  A.  S.  Fisher,  Elder  George  W. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  33 

Minier,  Elder  Jonathan  Atkinson,  Elder  T.  J.  Mat- 
lock  and  Elder  A.  J.  Kane  were  appointed  said 
committee. 

All  who  are  acquainted  with  the  early  history  of 
the  Reformation  urged  by  A.  Campbell  and  others, 
know  that  the  original  promoters  were  obliged  to 
depend  very  largely  for  evangelists  upon  men  pos- 
sessing only  limited  academical  training;  and, 
although  those  were  generally  men  of  undoubted 
Christian  integrity,  very  zealous  in  the  Master's 
work  and  very  successful  in  attacks  upon  the 
strongholds  of  infidelity  and  sectarianism,  yet  they 
were  often  made  to  feel  the  want  of  that  prepara- 
tion secured  only  by  extended  training,  in  early 
life,  at  institutions  under  the  control  of  cultured 
men.  Although  many  schools  of  learning  were 
then  in  existence,  yet  not  one  of  them  was  con- 
ducted by  a  faculty  acknowledging  the  important 
principles  of  the  current  Reformation. 

It  was  the  want  of  such  an  institution  that  led 
to  the  organization  of  Bethany  College,  in  Virginia. 
And  the  Christian  congregations  of  Illinois  thought 
the  work  in  which  they  were  engaged  required  a 
school  of  high  order  in  their  own  State. 

The  congregation  at  Walnut  Grove,  Woodford 
county,  having  organized  a  school  in  accordance 
with  what  they  understood  to  be  the  general  desire 
of  the  congregations  in  the  State,  were  anxious  for 
a  concentration  of  effort  to  assist  in  pushing  for- 


34  HIS TOE Y  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

ward  their  enterprise  to  a  state  of  more  general 
usefulness.  The  subject  was  called  up  at  the 
Abingdon  Convention,  subsequent  to  the  creation 
of  the  Educational  Board,  by  Elder  D.  P.  Hender- 
son, of  Jacksonville,  in  the  following  preamble  and 
resolution,  which  were  adopted : 

WHEREAS,  Walnut  Grove  Academy,  now  under  the  control  of 
a  Board  of  Trustees,  organized  under  the  general  law  of  Illinois, 
which  has  been  in  successful  operation  for  the  last  four  years, 
taught  by  A.  S.  Fisher,  Principal  of  the  department  of  mathe- 
matics, and  John  Lindsey,  Principal  of  languages ;  and  which  is 
the  only  regularly  organized  Institution  of  learning  controlled  by 
our  brethren  in  the  State;  and  WHEREAS  said  institution  proposes 
to  educate  young  men  for  the  ministry  "  free  of  tuition  fees," 

Therefore,  Resolved,  that  we  commend  to  our  brethren  in  Illi- 
nois this  institution,  and  urge  upon  them  to  foster  it  by  sending 
their  sons  and  daughters,  and  donating  to  its  library  and  appar- 
,ratus,  and|raising  such  means  as  may  enable  the  Trustees  to  place 
it  upon  a  sure  and  permanent  basis,  and  be  recognized  as  the 
Institution  for  the  brethren  of  this  State. 

ELDERS     LINDSEY    AND    DAVENPORT    APPOINTED 
CANVASSERS. 

Encouraged  by  the  foregoing  action  of  the  Abing- 
don Convention,  the  Trustees  of  Walnut  Grove 
Academy  appointed  Elders  John  Lindsey  and 
William  Davenport  solicitors  to  canvass  various 
localities  and  explain  to  the  people  of  the  congre- 
gations the  nature  of  the  school  at  Walnut  Grove, 
the  action  of  the  Missionary  Convention  in  relation 
to  it,  and  solicit  the  patronage  and  funds  recom- 
mended in  the  Abingdon  endorsement. 


HISTOKY  OF  EUBEKA   COLLEGE.  35 

Many  localities  were  visited  by  the  two  repre- 
sentatives of  the  academy,  and  they  were  liberally 
rewarded  by  promises  of  future  patronage  and  by 
donations  in  money,  and  pledges  for  the  future,  as 
indicated  by  the  catalogue  of  students  for  the  ses- 
sion of  1852-3,  and  by  the  treasurer's  report  of 
those  years.  Students  were  in  attendance  from 
more  than  twenty  localities  within  the  State,  and 
some  from  the  adjacent  States  of  Indiana  and 
Missouri. 

THE   POSTOFFICE. 

At  the  origin  of  the  school,  and  for  three  or  four 
subsequent  years,  the  nearest  postoffice  was 
Washington,  in  Tazewell  county,  eight  miles 
away.  Friends  of  the  institution,  and  especially 
students  in  attendance  from  other  localities,  were 
greatly  annoyed  by  the  consequent  tardy  mail 
service.  The  Board  of  Trustees  recognized  the 
situation  and  realized  that  the  evil  was  destined 
soon  to  become  a  serious  obstacle  in  the  develop- 
ment of  many  inportant  interests.  But  an  ade- 
quate remedy  was  not  under  their  immediate  con- 
trol. It  could  only  be  effected  through  officials  of 
the  general  Government.  The  work  was  inaugu- 
rated, however.  The  officials  at  the  nearest  post- 
offices  were  interviewed,  and  through  them  corre- 
spondence was  opened  up  with  parties  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  As  the  result,  a  postoffice  was 


36  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

established  near  the  academy,  at  the  residence  of 
Professor  A.  S.  Fisher,  who  was  the  first  post- 
master. For  a  time  the  office  was  supplied  weekly 
from  Metamora. 

THE    FIKST   BEQUEST. 

The  first  bequest  to  this  institution  was  made 
by  Jonathan  Tressler,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
who  came  to  Walnut  Grove  early  in  1838.  He  was 
a  carpenter,  a  young  man  of  quiet  ways,  warm  heart 
and  earnest  life,  and  soon  became  identified  with 
the  community  in  all  benevolent,  educational  and 
Christian  work.  He  had  but  little  means,  but 
steadily  plied  his  trade,  and  gradually  accumu- 
lated a  fair  amount  of  property. 

He  was  a  devoted  friend  of  the  academy  from 
its  beginning.  The  only  bequest  it  ever  received 
was  from  him.  It  consisted  of  a  quarter  section  of 
land  about  three  miles  northeast  of  Eureka,  and 
eighty  acres  directly  west  and  southwest  of  the 
cemetery. 

He  died  February  4,  1853,  and  his  body  rests 
near  the  center  of  Eureka  cemetery. 

He  it  was  that  built  the  little  frame  School- 
house  and  The  Seminary  pictured  in  this  volume  ; 
also  the  academy  building,  and  "  The  Old  Meeting 
House,"  and  nearly  all  the  farm  houses,  barns,  etc., 
that  were  built  in  the  community  about  that  time. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  37 

ORGANIZATION    OF   THE   BOAKD    OF   EDUCATION. 

As  provided  in  a  resolution  by  the  Abingdon 
Missionary  Convention  in  September,  1852,  the 
Board  of  Education  assembled  in  the  city  of 
Springfield  on  the  28th  day  of  December,  1852,  the 
following  members  being  present :  William  Dav- 
enport, A.  J.  Kane,  Geo.  W.  Minier,  A.  S.  Fisher. 

Elder  William  Davenport  was  appointed  tem- 
porary chairman,  and  Elder  Geo.  W.  Minier  secre- 
tary. The  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were 
adopted  : 

WHEREAS,  our  Lord  and  Saviour  imposed  upon  his  followers 
to  teach  the  principles  of  his  kingdom  to  all  nations;  and, 
WHEREAS,  the  brethren  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Illinois,  in 
annual  convention,  recognizing  education  an  important  agent  in 
the  spread  of  Christianity,  appointed  a  Board  of  Education  to 
assemble  in  Springfield  and  organize  for  the  purpose  of  reporting 
ways  and  means  for  the  establishment  of  academies  in  various 
parts  of  the  State ;  and,  WHEREAS,  a  majority  of  said  Board  are 
now  present,  therefore, 

Resolved,  that  the  following  be  adopted  as  our  platform  for 
deliberation : 

1.  This  association  shall  be  known  as  "The  Board  of  Edu- 
cation of  the  Christian  Missionary  Society  of  Illinois." 

2.  The  object  of  this  association  shall  be  to  provide  for  the 
promotion  of  primitive  Christianity  by  urging  the  Churches  of 
Christ  in  Illinois  to  establish  schools  under  their  exclusive  man- 
agement. 

3.  The  officers  of  the  association  shall  be  a  president,  vice- 
president,  treasurer  and  secretary,  whose  duties  shall  be  the  same 
as  those  of  similar  organizations. 

Elder  William  Davenport  was  chosen  president, 


38  HIS TOE Y  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE. 

Elder  John  Lindsey,  vice-president;  Elder  Geo.  W. 
Minier,  treasurer,  and  A.  S.  Fisher,  secretary. 

The  Board  then  adjourned  to  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon. 

AFTERNOON    SESSION. 

The  Board  asembled  pursuant  to  adjournment. 
The  following  was  adopted  : 

Resolved,  That  every  member  of  the  Board  be  requested  to 
prepare  an  essay  in  relation  to  the  number  of  academies  that 
ought  to  be  established,  and  suggestions  as  to  the  best  method  of 
securing  the  means  necessary  for  the  erection  of  buildings,  pur- 
chasing libraries,  apparatus,  etc. ;  and  that  the  essays  be  for- 
warded to  our  secretary  by  the  4th  day  of  July  next,  who  shall 
from  the  various  suggestions  prepare  a  report  for  consideration 
at  our  next  meeting  to  be  held  at  Jacksonville,  in  September, 

1853. 

******** 

Resolved,  That  Professor  John  H.  Neville  be  requested  to  fill 
the  vacancy  created  by  the  removal  of  Elder  T.  J.  Matlock  from 
our  State. 

Thereupon  the  Board  adjourned  to  meet  in  Jacksonville,  in 
September,  1853.  WM.  DAVENPORT,  President. 

A.  S.  FISHER,  Secretary. 

SESSION   1853-4. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Trustees,  in  June, 
1853,  it  was  resolved  that  the  increase  of  students 
during  the  past  session  and  the  prospective  further 
increase  for  the  next,  make  it  necessary  to  employ 
a  stronger  force  of  instruction.  They,  however, 
declined  to  take  further  action  without  conferring 
with  the  present  Board  of  Instruction. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  39 

Professors  Fisher  and  Neville  recommended  that 
provision  be  made  for  assistance  in  conducting  the 
primary  classes,  and  signified  their  preference  for 
Miss  Sarah  Fisher  and  Miss  Elmira  J.  Dickinson, 
two  young  ladies,  students  of  the  Academy.  These 
were  accordingly  employed. 

BOARD  OF  INSTRUCTION. 
Session  1853-4. 

A.  S.  FISHER, 
Of  Natural  Sciences,  Mathematics,  and  Principal  of  the  Preparatory  School. 

JOHN  H.  NEVILLE, 
Of  Higher  Mathematics,  Greek  and  Latin. 

SARAH  FISHER  AND  ELMIRA  J.  DICKINSON, 
Assistants  in  Preparatory  School. 

To  provide  additional  boarding  accommodations, 
a  canvass  for  means  to  erect  a  boarding  house  was 
inaugurated.  This  resulted  favorably,  enabling 
the  Trustees  to  erect  and  complete  a  commodious 
building  during  the  spring  and  summer  of  1854, 
arranged  to  accommodate  about  fifty  students.  It 
was  placed  under  the  management  of  the  affable 
Christian  gentleman,  R.  M.  Clark,  one  of  the  Trus- 
tees and  an  ardent  friend  of  the  Academy.  The 
house  was  opened  for  the  reception  of  students  in 
September,  1854,  and  while  presided  over  by  Mr. 
Clark  and  his  amiable  wife  was  a  pleasant  home 
for  the  numerous  occupants. 

REPORT  FROM  THE  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION  made  to 


40  HIS  TOBY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

the  Missionary  Convention  assembled  in  Jackson- 
ville, September,  1853. 

The  Board  met  in  Jacksonville,  pursuant  to  ad- 
journment, and  instructed  the  secretary  to  present 
to  the  Convention  there  assembled  the  following  as 
the  result  of  their  deliberations  : 

Before  submitting  any  plan  for  a  combined  effort  by  the 
brethren  in  the  establishment  of  schools,  the  Board  would  call 
attention  to  what  has  already  been  done.  At  the  Annual  Con- 
vention held  in  Woodford  county,  in  August,  1851,  it  was 
resolved  that  our  true  interest  as  a  Christian  community  requires 
an  institution  of  such  character  that  the  brethren  may  endow 
their  sons  and  daughters  with  a  liberal  education  under  the 
immediate  control  of  Christian  teachers.  At  the  next  Annual 
Convention,  which  was  held  at  Abingdon,  Walnut  Grove  Acad- 
emy was  recognized  as  the  institution  of  the  brethren,  and  they 
were  called  upon  to  foster  it  by  sending  their  sons  and  daughters, 
and  making  such  an  amount  of  donations  as  would  enable  the 
founders  to  place  it  upon  a  sure  and  permanent  basis. 

In  October  following  the  Convention  at  Abingdon,  the  Trus- 
tees of  Walnut  Grove  Academy  appointed  Elders  Davenport  and 
Lindsey  to  canvass  the  State  for  students  and  the  means  recom- 
mended. 

All  these  had  been  done,  or  were  in  progress,  when  the 
Board  of  Education  assembled  in  the  city  of  Springfield  for  the 
purpose  of  organizing. 

While  we  have  great  confidence  in  the  liberality  of  our  breth- 
ren, yet  we  fear  the  draft  upon  them  at  the  present  for  means  to 
establish  a  State  Institution  of  the  contemplated  grade,  may 
prove  to  be  somewhat  burdensome,  as  they  are  now  contemplat- 
ing the  endowment  of  a  chair  in  Bethany  College.  We,  there- 
fore, limit  our  report  to  the  creation  of  academies  in  the  various 
missionary  districts,  in  which  the  course  of  instruction  shall 
include  Reading,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  Geography,  Grammar, 
History,  Natural  Philosophy,  Algebra,  Geometry  and  First  Les- 
sons in  Greek  and  Latin. 


HIS  TOUT  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  41 

In  order  to  establish  an  academy  in  any  given  district,  the 
brethren  thereof  should  be  called  together,  and  the  principles  of 
education  and  their  legitimate  effects  upon  a  community  should 
be  .fully  unfolded  to  them,  and  the  strong  obligation  of  all  Chris- 
tians to  donate  of  the  means  entrusted  to  their  respective  stew- 
ardships for  its  promotion. 

If -an  academy  should  be  voted  for,  the  whole  matter  should 
be  referred  to  a  Board  of  Trustees,  comprising  one. or  more  mem- 
bers from  every  congregation. 


Impressions  during  childhood  being  most  enduring,  and  wrong 
impressions  always  difficult  to  remove,  the  matter  of  primary 
education  is  of  paramount  importance,  and  all  our  brethren 
should  be  strongly  urged  to  make  use  of  all  laudable  efforts  to 
secure  competent  Christian  teachers  in  all  our  common  schools. 

On  the  subject  of  text-books,  the  Board  would  'recommend 
that  none  be  used  in  any  of  our  schools  that  are  at  all  tainted 
with  the  withering  principles  of  sectarianism.  Use  only  those 
that,  in  all  their  suggestions  to  the  young  mind,  tend  towards 
building  up  a  high  order  of  moral  character.  The  Bible  should 
have  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  daily  exercises  of  every  school. 
Having  been  prepared  by  the  Author  of  the  human  mind,  it  is 
superior  to  all  human  productions  in  developing  morality  among 
any  people. 

As  Christians,  it  is  our  inalienable  duty  to  develop  the  great 
plan  of  salvation  in  its  ancient  simplicity,  and  it  is  the  unchal- 
lenged testimony  of  all  Christendom  that  only  an  educated  mind 
is  competent  to  disengage  the  simple  facts  of  Christianity  from 
the  many  false  dogmas  with  which  they  have  become  entangled 
through  many  centuries  of  false  teachings  and  interpretations ; 
hence  a  well  organized  system  of  schools  is  a  matter  of  the  first 
magnitude. 

Brethren,  shall  we  have  such  schools  among  us  and  under 
our  control?  We  have  the  necessary  talent  and  wealth.  Shall 
we  appropriate  them  to  so  noble  a  purpose?  Or  shall  we  be  lured 
into  the  general  vortex  of  speculation  and  "  strive  to  accumulate 
more  money,  to  buy  more  land,  to  make  larger  farms,  to  gro  v 


42  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   OOLLEGE. 

more  corn,  to  secure  more  money."  In  such  a  circle  the  chil- 
dren of  mammon  always  move.  But  having  tasted  of  the  good 
things  of  eternal  life,  we  should  direct  our  energies  in  a  channel 
whose  plane  is  far  above  the  accumulating  of  worldly  wealth. 

The  realization  of  the  system  proposed  will  require  many 
years  of  toil  and  wasting  anxiety.  But  is  not  the  end  proposed 
worthy  of  the  required  effort?  "  There  is  no  excellence  without 
great  labor."  Let  us,  therefore,  push  forward  the  begun  work 
with  firm  reliance  on  Him  who  is  the  head  of  all  principalities 
and  powers.  A.  S.  FISHER,  Secretary. 

It  was  thought  appropriate  to  narrate,  thus 
minutely,  the  doings  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
and  to  call  attention  to  the  resolutions  by  the  Mis- 
sionary conventions  at  Walnut  Grove,  Abingdon 
and  Jacksonville,  because  they  all  resulted  from 
repeated  attempts  by  the  friends  of  Walnut  Grove 
Academy  to  cause  a  co-operation  of  the  Christian 
congregations  in  Illinois  in  building  up  an  institu- 
tion of  high  order.  It  is  believed  that  the  promi- 
nent brethren  of  the  State  were  favorable  to  the 
work,  and  the  commendatory  preamble  and  reso- 
lution at  Abingdon  clearly  indicates  that  Walnut 
Grove  Academy  was  their  preference. 

The  matter  was  presented  to  the  convention  in 
1851,  and  decisive  action  was  postponed  by  the 
appointment  of  a  Committee  on  Education  in- 
structed to  take  the  subject  under  advisement  and 
report  at  the  next  annual  convention  to  assemble 
at  Abingdon,  in  September,  1852.  At  Abingdon 
the  Board  of  Education  was  appointed,  which 
seemed  to  put  off  definite  action  another  year,  but 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  43 

the  resolution  introduced  by  Elder  D.  P.  Hender- 
son placed  a  different  phase  on  the  outlook,  invit- 
ing the  trustees  of  Walnut  Grove  Academy  to 
canvass  among  the  congregations  without  further 
delay. 

KECEIVED  BUT  NOT  ADOPTED. 

The  report  of  the  Board  of  Education  to  the 
Jacksonville  Convention  was  received  by  that 
body,  but  its  recommendations  were  never  adopted. 
The  purpose  for  which  the  committee  of  seven  had 
been  called  into  existence  had  been  at  least  par- 
tially effected,  and  for  many  years  immediately 
succeeding  that  period,  all  questions  concerning 
the  establishing  of  schools  were  totally  banished 
from  the  annual  conventions  of  the  Illinois  Mis- 
sionary Society.  Just  why  that  organization 
would  not  permit  the  discussion  of  such  topics 
was  never  formally  promulgated,  and  it  would  per- 
haps be  unproductive  of  good  results  to  attempt,  at 
this  late  day,  an  explanation  of  the  strange  fea- 
ture. We  will  only  suggest  that  other  regularly 
organized  institutions  of  learning,  under  the  con- 
trol of  Christian  trustees,  were  started  up  in  certain 
localities,  which  became  applicants  for  general 
assistance. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Music  Department — The  College  Charter — First  Session 
under  the  Charter— The  College  Campus— Endowment  Fund 
—A  College  Building  Erected— Failure  of  the  Endowment- 
Prof.  C.  L.  Loos  Accepts  the  Presidency — Resignation  of 
President  Loos— Resignation  of  Prof.  Neville— B.  W.  Johnson 
— Periclesian  Society — Mathesian  Society — Excelsior  Society 
—A  Contraction  and  Its  Cause— The  First  Graduate. 

THE    MUSIC    DEPARTMENT. 

During  the  summer  of  1855,  the  Board  of  In- 
strution  organized  a  department  of  music,  em- 
ploying Miss  Ellen  F.  True  of  Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio, 
as  the  teacher.  The  department  was  opened  for 
the  reception  of  pupils  at  the  beginning  of  the 
first  session  under  the  college  charter,  in  Septem- 
ber, 1855. 

THE    COLLEGE    CHARTER. 

The  trustees  of  the  Academy  made  application 
to  the  Legislature,  at  its  session  of  1854-5,  for  a 
Special  College  Charter,  and  the  following  liberal 
provisions  were  unanimously  granted  : 

(44) 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  45 

AN  ACT 
To  INCORPOEATE  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

SECTION  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  people  of  the  State  of  Illinois, 
represented  in  the  General  Assembly,  That  Elijah  Dickinson, 
William  Davenport,  Elias  B.  Myers,  John  Darst,  John  Lindsey, 
Abishai  M.  Myers,  John  Major,  William  H.  Davenport,  Benja- 
min J.  Radford,  David  Deweese,  Robert  M.  Clark,  William 
Atterberry,  William  T.  Major,  Sr.,  Christopher  O.  Neville,  John 
Bennett,  William  M.  Brown,  John  T.  Jones,  William  S.  Pick- 
rell,  George  McManus,  Bushrod  W.  Henry,  Stephen  T.  Logan, 
Peter  C.  Redding,  Henry  Grove  and  John  W.  Taylor  and  their 
successors  be,  and  they  hereby  are,  created  a  body  politic  and 
corporate,  by  the  name  and  style  of  "The  Trustees  of  Eureka 
College,"  and  by  that  style  and  name  to  remain  and  have  per- 
petual succession.  The  number  of  trustees  shall  not  exceed 
twenty-four,  exclusive  of  the  president  or  presiding  officer  of 
the  college,  who  shall  be  ex  officio  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  any  seven  of  whom  shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

§2.  Eureka  College  shall  be  at  or  near  the  place  where  the 
Walnut  Grove  Academy  is  now  situated,  in  Woodford  county. 

§3.  Said  corporation  shall  have  power  to  sue  and  be  sued, 
plead  and  be  impleaded;  to  acquire,  hold  and  convey  property, 
real  and  personal  or  mixed,  in  all  lawful  ways;  to  have,  use  and 
alter  at  pleasure  a  common  seal ;  to  fill  all  and  every  vacancy 
or  vacancies  occasioned  in  their  body  by  death  or  resignation 
or  otherwise. 

§4.  Said  trustees  shall  have  power  to  make,  alter,  and  estab- 
lish from  time  to  time,  such  constitutions,  rules,  by-laws  and 
regulations  as  they  may  deem  necessary  for  the  good  government 
of  said  corporation  and  the  proper  management  of  the  institu- 
tion under  their  control :  Provided  such  constitutions,  rules,  by- 
laws or  regulations  be  not  inconsistent  with  the  constitution  or 
laws  of  this  State  or  of  the  United  States. 

§5.  The  trustees  of  Eureka  College  shall  have  authority  from 
time  to  time  to  prescribe  and  regulate  the  course  of  studies  to  be 
pursued  in  said  college  and  in  the  preparatory  department 


46  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

attached  thereto ;  to  fix  the  rates  of  tuition,  room  rent  and  other 
necessary  expenses ;  to  appoint  instructors  and  such  other  offi- 
cers and  agents  as  may  be  needful  in  the  management  of  the 
institution ;  to  define  their  powers,  duties  and  employments,  to 
fix  their  compensation,  to  displace  or  remove  either  of  the  in- 
structors, officers  or  agents,  or  all  of  them,  as  said  trustees  shall 
deem  the  interest  of  said  college  requires ;  to  fill  all  vacancies 
among  said  instructors,  officers  and  agents;  to  erect  suitable 
buildings;  to  purchase  chemical  and  philosophical  apparatus  and 
other  suitable  means  of  instruction;  to  put  into  operation  all 
proper  and  suitable  means  for  the  health,  comfort,  and  advance- 
ment of  the  students  in  the  various  branches  of  a  literary  and 
scientific  education,  and  to  make  rules  for  the  general  manage- 
ment of  the  affairs  of  the  institution  and  for  the  regulation  of 
the  conduct  of  the  students. 

§6.  The  trustees  shall  faithfully  apply  all  funds  collected  by 
them  according  to  the  best  of  their  judgment  in  erecting  suitable 
buildings,  in  supporting  the  necessary  instructors,  officers  and 
agents,  the  procuring  books,  maps,  charts,  globes  and  all  philo- 
sophical and  chemical  apparatus  to  aid  and  promote  sound  learn- 
ing in  the  institution:  Provided,  that  in  case  any  donation,  de- 
vise or  bequest  shall  be  made  for  particular  purposes  accordant 
with  the  objects  of  the  institution,  and  the  trustees  shall  accept 
the  same,  every  such  donation,  devise  or  bequest  shall  be 
applied  in  conformity  with  the  express  condition  of  the  donor  or 
devisor;  Provided,  also,  that  if  the  donation  be  in  real  estate  the 
lands  be  sold  within  ten  years  from  the  date  of  said  donation, 
and  the  value  thereof  be  applied  as  specified  by  the  donor. 

§7.  The  president  of  said  college,  by  and  with  the  consent  of 
said  trustees,  shall  have  power  from  time  to  time  to  ordain,  regu- 
late and  establish  the  course  and  mode  of  instruction  and  educa- 
tion to  be  pursued  in  said  college,  and,  together  with  such 
professors,  instructors  and  tutors  as  the  corporation  may  desig- 
nate, shall  be  styled  "The  Faculty  of  Eureka  College,"  and  shall 
have  power  to  adopt  and  enforce  such  rules  as  may  be  deemed 
expedient  for  the  good  government  of  the  institution ;  which 
rules  and  regulations  shall  not  be  inconsistent  with  the  consti- 
tution and  laws  of  this  State  nor  of  the  United  States,  nor  incon- 


HISTORY  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE.  47 

sistent  with  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  said  corporation,  and 
shall  be  in  full  force  until  disapproved  of  by  the  trustees,  or  a 
quorum  of  them,  and  no  longer. 

§8.  The  said  trustees  shall  have  power  to  establish  depart- 
ments for  the  study  of  any  and  all  of  the  learned  and  liberal  pro- 
fessions and  to  confer  such  degrees  as  are  usually  conferred  in 
similar  institutions  in  the  United  States  in  the  learned  arts  and 
sciences.  The  trustees  may  also  attach  to  said  college  an  aca- 
demical or  preparatory  department ;  and  when  a  common  school 
department  shall  be  in  operation  agreeably  to  the  common  school 
law  of  this  State,  the  trustees  shall  be  entitled  to  draw  their  pro- 
portion of  the  township,  school,  college  and  seminary  fund  for 
such  scholars  as  live  in  the  township  where  said  college  is 
located. 

§9.  The  trustees,  or  a  quorum  of  them,  shall  have  authority 
to  meet  at  such  times  as  they  shall  deem  necessary  for  the  exam- 
ination of  candidates  for  literary  degrees ;  and  they  are  hereby 
authorized  and  empowered,  upon  recommendation  of  the  faculty, 
to  confer  such  degrees  on  such  persons  as  in  their  judgments  shall 
merit  the  same  in  as  ample  a  manner  as  any  similar  institution 
can  do,  and  under  their  common  seal  to  grant  testimonials 
thereof,  signed  by  the  faculty  of  the  college. 

§10.  The  trustees,  or  a  quorum  of  them,  shall  elect  a  treas- 
urer (whom  they  may  remove  at  pleasure)  who  shall  give  bonds, 
with  approved  security,  payable  to  the  trustees  by  their  names 
aforesaid,  and  their  successors,  faithfully  to  discharge  the  duties 
of  his  said  office,  and  shall  render  an  account  of  all  moneys, 
goods  and  chattels  received  and  expended  by  him  on  account  of, 
and  for  the  use  of,  said  college,  and  on  failure  or  refusal  to  do  so, 
shall  be  subject  to  like  proceedings  as  are  prescribed  by  law  in 
cases  of  county  treasurers  of  the  State :  Provided,  that  no  appro- 
priation, payment  or  disbursement  shall  at  any  time  be  made  by 
the  treasurer  but  such  aa  shall  be  in  pursuance  of  the  directions 
or  orders  of  the  trustees. 

§11.  Not  less  than  seven  trustees  shall  form  a  quorum  to  do 
business,  but  a  less  number  shall  be  a  quorum  to  fill  vacancies  in 
the  office  of  trustees :  Provided,  that  on  sixty  days'  notice,  pub- 


48  HISTORY  OF  EUBEKA    COLLEGE. 

lished  in  the  nearest  newspaper,  a  full  quorum  cannot  be 
obtained. 

§12.  Whenever  the  trustees  of  the  Walnut  Grove  Academy, 
or  a  quorum  of  them,  shall  execute  and  deliver  to  the  clerk  of 
the  circuit  court  of  Woodford  county,  their  written  consent  to 
this  act  and  the  same  has  been  duly  recorded,  all  the  property, 
real  and  personal,  and  all  debts  due  to  said  Walnut  Grove  Acad- 
emy shall  be  vested  in  the  corporation  hereby  created ;  and  all 
the  acts  of  the  said  trustees  of  Walnut  Grove  Academy  are  hereby 
declared  to  be  legal  and  valid,  notwithstanding  any  irregularity 
therein. 

§13.  The  tract  of  land  now  owned  by  the  trustees  of  Walnut 
Grove  Academy  shall,  when  transferred  to  the  corporation  hereby 
established,  together  with  the  library,  apparatus  and  other  prop- 
erty of  said  corporation,  be  exempt  from  all  State  and  county 
taxes. 

§14,  The  said  trustees,  or  a  full  quorum  of  them,  shall  have 
power  to  remove  or  suspend  the  president  or  an)'  of  the  profes- 
sors, instructors  or  tutors  at  any  time ;  and  when  there  shall  be 
a  vacancy  in  said  Board  of  Trustees,  occasioned  by  death, 
removal,  resignation,  or  refusal  to  act,  the  remaining  trustees,  or 
a  quorum  of  them,  shall  supply  the  vacancy.  The  president,  with 
concurrence  of  two  of  the  trustees,  or  any  three  of  the  trustees, 
shall  have  power  to  call  special  meetings  of  the  board. 

§15.  Whenever  any  trustee  shall  absent  himself  for  three 
successive  annual  meetings  of  the  board,  without  assigning  a 
sufficient  reason  at  the  fourth,  the  trustees  of  the  college,  or  a 
quorum  of  them,  shall  have  power,  by  entry  on  their  minutes,  to 
declare  his  seat  vacant,  and  may  elect  a  new  trustee  to  supply 
such  vacancy. 

§16.  There  shall  be  an  annual  meeting  of  said  trustees,  the 
day  of  meeting  to  be  fixed  by  themselves. 

§17.  That  the  said  Board  of  Trustees  shall  never  be  less  than 
twelve  (12)  nor  more  than  twenty-four  (24). 

APPROVED,  Feb.  6,  1855. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE.  49 

AN  ACT 
To  AMEND  THE  ACT  INCORPORATING  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

SECTION  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  people  of  the  titate  of  Illinois, 
represented  in  the  General  Assembly,  That  so  much  of  section 
eight  as  entitles  the  trustees  to  draw  their  proportion  of  the 
township,  school,  college  and  seminary  funds,  to  be  distributed, 
in  proportion,  for  such  scholars  as  live  in  the  township  where 
such  college  is  located,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  repealed. 

§2.  The  trustees  of  said  college  shall  be  entitled  to  draw 
their  proportion  of  the  township,  school,  college  and  seminary 
fund  for  each  scholar  residing  in  the  district  and  adjoining  dis- 
trict where  such  college  is  located,  and  attending  school  therein. 

§3.  That  the  word  "tract,"  in  section  thirteen  (13),  of  the 
act  to  which  this  is  an  amendment,  be  amended  so  as  to  read 
"  tracts." 

APPROVED  Feb.  9,  1855. 

FIRST   SESSION   UNDER   THE    CHARTER. 

The  school  was  continued  as  Walnut  Grove 
Academy  to  the  close  of  the  session  1854-5.  In 
September,  1855,  it  was  opened  as  Eureka  College, 
having  the  following  Faculty : 

ELDER  WILLIAM  M.  BROWN, 
President. 

A.  S.  FISHE*, 
Professor  of  Mathematics,  and  Principal  of  Preparatory. 

JOHN  H.  NEVILLE, 
Professor  of  Greek  and  Latin  Languages  and  Literature. 

O.  A.  BURGESS, 

Professor  of  Natural  Sciences,  of  Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy,  and  Lecturer 
of  Sacred  Literature. 

RICHARD  A.  CONOVER, 
Teacher  in  Preparatory  School. 


50  HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

MRS.  SARAH  F.  CONOVER, 
Teacher  in  the  Female  Department. 

Miss  ELLEN  F.  TRUE, 
Teacher  of  Instrumental  and  Vocal  Music. 

Elder  William  M.  Brown  and  Elder  William 
Davenport  were  appointed  Solicitors  of  the  college. 
They  were  instructed  to  visit  various  localities  in 
Illinois  and  adjoining  States  for  the  purpose  of 
making  known  the  scope  and  aim  of  the  college, 
to  canvass  for  students  and  procure  donations. 

THE    COLLEGE    CAMPUS. 

Among  the  first  acts  of  the  new  Board  of  Trus- 
tees was  a  movement  to  secure  a  commodious  cam- 
pus on  which  to  erect  a  suitable  building  for  the 
Institution.  The  tract  secured  contained  about  fif- 
teen acres,  magnificently  adorned  by  noble  speci- 
mens of  the  primeval  forest  trees,  the  black  walnut 
species  predominating.  The  natural  undergrowth 
having  been  removed,  in  a  few  years  the  whole 
campus  was  adorned  by  the  spontaneous  appear- 
ance of  a  beautiful  blue  grass  sward. 

A  large  part  of  the  campus  was  donated  to  the 
college  by  Elias  B.  Myers,  one  of  the  original  pro- 
moters of  the  school,  and  Elder  James  Conover, 
who  identified  himself  with  the  community  soon 
after  the  academy  was  merged  into  Eureka  Col- 
lege. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  51 

ENDOWMENT   FUND. 

The  Financial  agents  were  instructed  to  canvass 
for  donations  payable  in  ten  equal  annual  install- 
ments, bearing  interest  at  the  rate  of  six  per  cent 
per  annum,  payable  annually,  all  donors  being 
allowed  a  rebate  of  four  per  cent,  payable  in 
tuition  at  Eureka  College,  on  demand.  And  any 
donor  having  paid  up  all  his  installments,  accord- 
ing to  the  terms  of  his  obligation,  was  to  receive  a 
certificate  showing  the  amount  of  his  donation, 
and  obligating  the  college  to  pay  him  six  per 
cent  per  annum  in  tuition  upon  the  amount 
donated. 

The  first  third  of  all  money  thus  donated  was 
set  apart  as  a  building  fund,  the  balance  to  be  a 
permanent  endowment. 

The  conditions  upon  which  donations  were 
asked  greatly  assisted  the  college  financiers  in 
their  canvass,  and,  in  a  few  months,  they  reported 
over  $60,000  secured  by  notes  bearing  six  per  cent 
interest. 

A    COLLEGE   BUILDING   ERECTED. 

Presuming  upon  the  convertibility  of  the  endow- 
ment notes  at  maturity,  and  relying  upon  the 
future  liberality  of  college  friends,  Messrs.  John 
Darst,  E.  B.  Myers  and  William  H.  Davenport 
kindly  offered  their  respective  individual  respon- 
sibilities to  aid  the  Trustees  in  procuring  a  loan 


52  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

that  would  enable  them  to  erect  the  contemplated 
building  without  delay.  The  generous  offer  was 
accepted,  and  the  contract  for  the  building  was  let 
in  the  spring  of  1857,  and  it  was  completed  during 
the  summer  of  1858. 

FAILURE    OF    THE   ENDOWMENT. 

The  financial  depression  that  came  on  in  the  fall 
of  1857  affected  the  ability  of  many  donors  to  such 
a  degree  as  to  render  their  pledges  of  but  little 
value,  many  of  them  being  wortljCJess  ;  and  a  large 
percentage  of  all  others  could  only  be  made  avail- 
able by  allowing  ruinous  discounts,  the  result 
being  that  of  all  the  many  thousands  of  dollars 
pledged  to  the  college,  very  little  more  than  suffi- 
cient to  defray  the  expense  incurred  by  the  build- 
ing committee  in  erecting  the  new  edifice  and 
supplying  it  with  needed  furniture  was  ever  col- 
lected. 

PROFESSOR  C.  L.  LOOS  ACCEPTS  THE  PRESIDENCY. 

In  the  summer  of  1856,  Professor  0.  A.  Burgess 
resigned,  to  accept  a  position  offered  him  by  the 
church  at  Washington,  leaving  the  college  with 
no  one  in  the  faculty  to  conduct  the  department  of 
Sacred  Literature. 

Soon  after  the  opening  of  the  ensuing  session,  in 
September,  1856,  the  Trustees  sent  a  committee, 
composed  of  John  Darst  and  E.  B.  Myers,  to  Gin- 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE.  53 

cinnati,  Ohio,  to  confer  with  Professor  C.  L.  Loos, 
a  graduate  of  Bethany  College  and  an  ex-profes- 
sor in  the  Primary  School  of  that  institution. 

The  committee  called  on  the  professor  at  his 
humble  home  in  Cincinnati,  made  known  to  him 
their  mission,  explained  the  character  of  the  col- 
lege, its  origin,  some  of  the  more  important  obsta- 
cles encountered  in  its  development  up  to  that 
period,  and  their  design  to  make  it,  ultimately,  an 
important  auxiliary  in  the  work  of  urging  forward 
the  current  reformation,  led  by  A.  Campbell  and 
others.  They  closed  the  interview  by  inviting  him 
to  remove  to  Illinois,  and  locate  in  Walnut  Grove, 
promising  him  a  prominent  place  on  the  Faculty  of 
the  college.  The  professor's  reply  was  somewhat 
diplomatic ;  he  neither  accepted  nor  rejected  the 
proposition,  promising  to  take  the  matter  under 
careful  advisement,  and  to  communicate  with  them 
in  the  near  future. 

On  their  return  to  Illinois  the  committee  sub- 
mitted a  report  of  their  conference,  and  advised 
the  Board  of  Trustees  to  take  immediate  action. 
Professor  Loos  was  promptly  elected  President  of 
the  Faculty  by  a  unanimous  vote.  A  short  corre- 
spondence ensued.  Professor  Loos  at  once  ac- 
cepted the  position,  and  soon  thereafter  removed 
with  his  family  to  Walnut  Grove,  entering  the  col- 
lege as  President  in  January,  1857. 

Having  had  the  advantages,  during  many  years 


54  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

of  his  student  life  of  training  under  the  direction 
of  the  great  Alexander  Campbell,  and  having  been 
conducted  through  the  intricacies  of  sacred  litera- 
ture by  that  eminent  divine,  he  was  abundantly 
prepared  to  conduct  the  Bible  Department  of  the 
college. 

He  continued  his  work  with  the  Institution  until 
the  summer  of  1858,  being  much  admired  for  his 
ability  as  a  scholar,  and  for  his  executive  resources 
exhibited  in  the  skill  with  which  he  performed  his 
perplexing  duties  as  president  of  the  institution. 

RESIGNATION   OF   PRESIDENT  LOOS. 

The  new  building  was  nearing  completion, 
patronage  had  greatly  increased,  and  a  brilliant 
future  for  the  college  was  predicted  by  its  numer- 
ous friends  and  promoters.  Such  was  the  attitude 
of  affairs  when  the  students  dispersed  for  their 
respective  homes  at  the  close  of  the  session  of 
1857-8,  and  the  several  members  of  the  Faculty 
made  their  respective  arrangements  to  spend  the 
annual  summer  vacation. 

President  Loos  took  a  tour  into  northern  Ohio, 
where  he  was  met  by  certain  parties  from  Bethany 
College,  who  induced  him  to  accept  an  appoint- 
ment on  the  Faculty  of  his  Alma  Mater. 

This  unexpected  movement  left  the  Faculty  of 
Eureka  College  without  a  presiding  officer  and 
without  any  one  to  conduct  the  Bible  Department, 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  55 

and  the  existence  of  the  chasm  thus  created  was 
not  communicated  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  until  a 
few  days  prior  to  the  opening  of  the  next  session. 
But  notwithstanding  the  awkward  phase,  the 
chasm  was  promptly  bridged,  and  the  session  was 
opened  by  the  following  Faculty  : 

GEORGE  CALLENDER, 
President. 

B.  W.  JOHNSON, 
Professor  of  Ancient  Languages. 

A.  S.  FISHER, 
.      Professor  of  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy. 

J.  M.  ALLEN, 
Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Belles -Lettres. 

Miss  SUE  S.  SMITH, 
Teacher  of  Music. 

A.  S.  FISHER, 
Principal  of  Preparatory  School. 

Miss  E.  J.  DICKINSON, 
First  Assistant  in  Preparatory  School. 

Miss  JANE  EWINQ, 
Second  Assistant  in  Preparatory  School. 

RESIGNATION  OF   PROFESSOR   NEVILLE. 

In  the  summer  of  1857,  Professor  John  H.  Neville 
resigned  his  position  on  the  Faculty  of  Eureka  Col- 
lege and  accepted  an  appointment  on  the  Faculty 
of  Christian  University,  at  Canton,  Missouri.  He 
had  been  identified  with  the  Educational  move- 
ment in  Walnut  Grove  since  September,  1852,  and 


56  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

had  proven  himself  eminently  prepared  for  his 
chosen  profession.  He  left  the  college  admired  by 
the  Trustees,  members  of  the  Faculty,  the  students, 
and  by  all  who  knew  him.  Having  remained  at 
Canton  during  one  session,  he  resigned,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1859,  accepted  an  appointment  in  Bowman 
University,  at  Harrodsburg,  Kentucky. 

B.  w.  JOHNSON. 

Upon  the  resignation  of  Professor  Neville,  B. 
W.  Johnson  was  elected  to  a  professorship.  He 
was  a  graduate  of  Bethany  College,  and  had  con- 
ducted a  private  school  in  the  city  of  Bloomington. 
When  it  became  known  in  that  city  that  he  had 
accepted  a  professorship  in  Eureka  College,  many 
of  his  former  pupils  applied  for  matriculation 
permits. 

Professor  Johnson  was  a  member  of  the  Faculty 
when  President  Loos  resigned,  and  was  asked  to 
assume  the  Presidency  ;  this,  however,  he  declined, 
but  consented  to  act  as  Vice-President  and  to  lec- 
ture daily  upon  sacred  and  secular  history. 

PERICLESIAN   SOCIETY. 

During  the  session  1855-6,  another  literary  soci- 
ety was  organized,  and  was  incorporated  as  The 
Periclesian  Society.  The  weekly  performances 
consisted  of  reading  original  essays,  orations,  dec- 
lamations and  debates.  All  its  sessions  were  gov- 


HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE.  57 

erned  by  parliamentary  rules,  and  the  numerous 
members,  therefore,  received  a  training  that  gave 
them  great  power  for  usefulness  in  subsequent 
life  when  aiding  to  promote  the  best  interests  of 
organized  society. 

MATHESIAN    SOCIETY. 

About  the  year  1857  a  literary  religious  society 
was  organized  for  the  benefit  of  those  intending  to 
enter  the  Christian  ministry.  They  had  weekly 
performances,  also,  consisting  of  Scripture  recita- 
tions, sermons  and  discussions  of  religious  ques- 
tions. It  was  known  as  the  Mathesian  Society. 

EXCELSIOR    SOCIETY. 

During  the  session  of  1857-8  the  young  ladies  of 
the  college  organized  an  association  known  as  The 
Excelsior  Society.  It  at  once  assumed  an  influen- 
tial rank,  and  for  many  years  was  an  important 
feature  of  the  college.  It  was  never  incorporated, 
and  when  the  Edmund  Burke  Society  and  the  Peri- 
clesian  Society  altered  their  respective  organic 
laws  so  as  to  make  females  eligible  to  member- 
ship, the  Excelsiors  found  their  membership  grad- 
ually decreasing  in  numbers  from  term  to  term, 
and  soon  the  weekly  meetings  were  abandoned, 
and  ultimately  the  Excelsior  Society  became  non 
est,  having  died  of  starvation  for  want  of  members. 


58  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

A   CONTRACTION   AND   ITS   CAUSE. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  institution  in  1848, 
down  to  and  including  the  session  of  1857-8,  the 
patronage  had  been  constantly  on  the  increase,  the 
matriculations  of  1857-8  numbering  two  hundred 
and  seventy-six.  But  the  financial  depression  that 
commenced  in  the  fall  of  1857,  and  swept  over  the 
entire  country  as  a  withering  blight,  caused  a  tem- 
porary check  upon  its  further  expansion  in  the 
immediate  future,  and  even  produced  a  great 
decline  in  the  number  of  annual  matriculations. 

THE   FIRST   GRADUATE. 

E.  W.  Dickinson,  a  young  man  of  exemplary 
habits,  was  the  first  graduate  of  the  college.  Hav- 
ing completed  the  prescribed  course  of  studies,  the 
Trustees,  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  Faculty, 
conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  A.  B.  at  their  annual 
meeting  in  1860. 

FACULTY    OF    1860-1. 

GEORGE  CALLENDER,  A.  M., 
President. 

B.  W.  JOHNSON,  A.  B., 

Professor  of  Greek  Language  and  Literature,  and  Lecturer  on  Sacred  and 
Secular  History. 

A.  S.  FISHER,  B.  S., 
Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy. 

J.  M.  ALLEN,  M.  D., 
Professor  of  Physiology,  and  Moral  and  Mental  Philosophy. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  59 

R.  H.  JOHNSON,  A.  BM 

Professor  of  Latin  Language  and  Literature,  and  Teacher  of  Natural 
History. 

J.  H.  ROWELL, 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

Miss  SARAH  LANPHEARE, 
Teacher  of  French,  German  and  Painting. 

Miss  SUE  SMITH, 
Teacher  of  Music. 

A.  S.  FISHER. 
Principal  of  Preparatory  Department. 

Miss  MOLLIE  G.  CLARK, 
Teacher  in  Preparatory  Department. 

J.  M.  ALLEN, 
Librarian. 

R.  H.  JOHNSON, 
Curator  of  Museum. 

OFFICERS   OF   BOARD    OF    TRUSTEES,    SESSION    1860-1. 

E.  DICKINSON,  President. 
GEORGE  CALLENDER,  Secretary. 
E.  B.  MYERS,   Treasurer. 
A.  G.  EWING,  Bursar. 

COMMITTEES    OF   TRUSTEES,  SESSION   1860-1. 

JOHN  DARST,  "1 

E.  B.  MYERS,  >  Executive  Committee. 

JAMES  R.  BURTON,  J 

A.  M.  MYERS,   ~] 

R.  M.  CLARK,     V  Prudential  Committee. 

C.  O.  NEVILLE,] 

GEORGE  CALLENDER,  "1 

WM.  H.  DAVENPORT,  f  Auditing  Committee. 

A.  M.  MYERS,     • 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  First  Secretary— The  First  Treasurer— John  Darst— Attitude 
in  the  Civil  War — George  Callender  —  B.  W.  Johnson — 
J.  M.  Allen  — The  College  Aid  Fund  — H.  O.  Newcomb 
—  H.  W.  Everest  —  The  Endowment  —  A.  G.  Ewing  — 
The  Chapel— The  $12,000  Loan— Resignation  of  President 
Everest— A.  M.  Weston— B.  J.  Radford— H.  W.  Everest 
Again  President — The  Boarding-House  Company — Apparatus 
Replenished— Faculty  of  1881-2. 

THE    FIRST    SECRETARY. 

At  the  organization  of  the  Trustees  of  Walnut 
Grove  Academy,  A.  S.  Fisher  was  elected  secre- 
tary, and  he  continued  to  act  in  that  capacity 
until  that  school  became  Eureka  College,  and  was 
continued  in  the  same  office  by  the  Trustees  of 
the  college  till  the  close  of  the  session  of  1855-6, 
when  he  was  relieved  by  Mr.  Callender,  that  he 
might  the  more  closely  attend  to  the  other  matters 
pertaining  to  the  college  work. 

THE   FIRST    TREASURER. 

At  the  organization  of  Walnut  Grove  Academy, 

in   1849,  E.  B.   Myers    was    made    treasurer,  and 

(60) 


HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE.  61 

he  was  continued  in  that  capacity,  by  re-elections, 
during  the  existence  of  that  institution ;  and  when 
the  Academy  was  merged  into  Eureka  College 
the  Trustees  retained  him  in  the  treasurership 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1866,  having 
been  treasurer  for  sixteen  years.  At  no  time 
during  his  long  service  was  there  any  intimation 
of  unfaithfulness.  Every  dollar  of  money  com- 
mitted to  his  care  as  treasurer  was  faithfully  ac- 
counted for. 

JOHN   DARST. 

Mr.  Darst  was  elected  a  trustee  of  the  school 
about  the  year  1855.  He  removed  from  near 
Dayton,  Ohio,  and  located  near  the  Academy  in 
.the  year  1851.  From  the  first  he  was  a  devoted 
friend  of  the  institution.  Being  a  man  of  great 
energy  and  of  eminent  financial  ability,  he  was 
placed  upon  the  Executive  Committee  and  kept 
in  that  position  continuously  for  more  than  forty 
years.  Without  exaggeration  it  may  truthfully 
be  affirmed,  that,  financially,  he  has  been  the 
leading  promoter  of  the  college.  While  Elder  B. 
Major  must  ever  be  regarded,  as  the  Founder  of 
the  school,  Elder  John  Darst  has  been,  pre-emi- 
nently, its  great  supporter,  having  on  more  than 
one  occasion  rescued  it  from  impending  destruc- 
tion, when  other  friends  regarded  its  condition 
desperate.  He  was  made  President  of  the  Board 


62  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

of  Trustees  at  the  death  of  Elder  Ewing,  in  1873, 
and  still  occupies  that  position. 

ATTITUDE   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR. 

During  the  terrible  War  of  the  Rebellion  the 
college  was  eminently  loyal.  When  President 
Abraham  Lincoln  issued  his  first  proclamation, 
calling  for  volunteers  to  assist  in  maintaining  the 
integrity  of  the  nation,  many  of  the  students  and 
one  member  of  the  Faculty  promptly  enlisted,  and 
remained  in  the  army  during  the  war. 

GEORGE   CALLENDER. 

Mr.  Callender  emigrated  from  Liverpool,  Eng- 
land, in  the  year  1853,  and  located  a  short 
distance  northward  from  Walnut  Grove  Academy, 
He  was  a  gentleman  of  culture,  having  been  liber- 
ally educated  while  in  the  Old  Country.  He  was 
of  a  kindly  disposition,  benevolent  and  generous. 
Very  soon  after  his  location  in  Walnut  Grove 
he  united  with  the  Church  of  Christ  in  that  com- 
munity, and  became  a  devoted  member.  He  was 
elected  a  trustee  of  the  institution,  and  became  one 
of  its  best  promoters.  Upon  the  resignation  of 
President  Loos,  in  1858,  he  was  elected  president 
of  the  college,  which  position  he  continued  to  fill 
till  1862,  when  he  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by 
B.  W.  Johnson. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  63 

PROFESSOR   B.    W.   JOHNSON. 

Mr.  Johnson's  boyhood  home  was  near  Wash- 
ington, Tazewell  county,  Illinois.  His  father  was 
a  farmer,  and  consequently  the  boy's  life  was 
somewhat  monotonous.  Until  verging  into  man- 
hood his  educational  advantages  were  such  as 
could  be  obtained  in  the  common  school  of  his 
neighborhood.  He  was  noted  for  his  love  of  read- 
ing, biographies  and  histories  being  his  favorite 
books. 

In  1851  he  became  a  student  of  Walnut  Grove 
Academy,  where  he  remained  three  years,  making 
a  splendid  record.  He  then  entered  Bethany 
College,  presided  over  at  that  time  by  the  famous 
theologian,  Alexander  Campbell.  Being  permit- 
ed  to  enter  as  a  junior,  he  completed  the  college 
course  in  two  years,  receiving  a  diploma  as  a 
member  of  the  class  of  1856. 

After  leaving  college  he  opened  a  private  school 
in  the  city  of  Bloomington,  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
mained one  year.  In  the  fall  of  1857  he  accepted 
a  position  on  the  Faculty  of  Eureka  College,  and 
remained  a  devoted  friend  and  promoter  of  that 
school  during  six  years,  performing  all  the  duties 
of  the  president  from  the  opening  of  the  session 
1858-9  to  the  close  of  the  session  1861-2.  He  was 
then  elected  President,  which  position  he  accepted. 
At  the  close  of  the  session  1862-3  he  resigned,  and 


64  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

soon  thereafter  became  Professor  of  Mathematics 
in  Bethany  College,  West  Virginia,  where  seven 
years  before  he  had  received  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
Subsequently  he  accepted  the  presidency  of 
Oskaloosa  College,  in  Iowa,  where  he  remained 
for  a  term  of  years.  Being  interested  in  the  pub- 
lication of  a  religious  paper,  he  removed  to  Chica- 
go, where  he  prospered  as  an  editor  for  a  time, 
when  he  formed  a  coalition  with  a  publishing 
house  in  St.  Louis,  and  for  many  years  has  been 
one  of  the  editors  of  the  Christian- Evangelist, 
a  weekly  paper  of  vast  influence  among  the  many 
congregations  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  the  West 
and  South. 

DE.    J.     M.     ALLEN. 

The  Doctor  was  a  Kentuckian.  He  first  ap- 
peared in  the  community  as  a  practicing  physician 
about  the  year  1854.  He  was  a  young,  affable, 
Christian  gentleman,  and  noted  for  his  kindness 
and  generosity.  Being  of  a  jovial  disposition, 
witty,  possessed  with  an  inexhaustible  store  of 
anecdotes,  and  a  good  story-teller,  he  was  ever  a 
welcome  guest  at  all  the  entertainments  of  the 
young  people. 

Having  abandoned  his  profession  as  a  physi- 
cian, he  entered  the  Christian  ministry,  and 
soon  became  known  among  the  congregations  as 
an  earnest  evangelist.  During  the  session  of 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  65 

1855-6  he  was  a  student  of  Eureka  College,  taking 
lessons  under  the  direction  of  Professor  Neville. 
In  1856  he  was  elected  Professor  of  Natural 
Sciences  in  Eureka  College,  and  for  more  than 
thirty  years  thereafter  he  was  a  zealous  work- 
er for  the  college,  most  of  the  time  as  a  pro- 
fessor, but  frequently  he  was  excused  from  work 
as  a  teacher  that  he  might  serve  the  college 
as  financial  agent,  soliciting  among  the  people 
for  students  and  donations.  In  1882  he  became 
President  of  the  Faculty.  As  president  he  was 
an  ardent  promoter  of  the  college  for  seven 
years.  Resigning  his  place  in  the  Faculty  in 
1887,  he  was  retained  for  a  year  or  two  as  col- 
lege solicitor.  In  1891  he  removed  with  his 
family  to  the  State  of  Washington,  and  there  con- 
tinued his  work  as  a  Christian  evangelist. 

THE    COLLEGE    AID    FUND. 

The  report  of  the  treasurer  at  the  Annual  Meet- 
ing of  1863  caused  a  rumor  that  the  college 
was  about  to  suspend  for  lack  of  funds  to  meet 
current  expenses.  The  citizens  of  Eureka  called 
a  meeting  to  inquire  as  to  the  degree  of  the  rumor- 
ed danger.  A  careful  and  extended  discussion 
established  the  fact  that  the  college  needed  funds 
to  prevent  an  impending  collapse.  At  that  meet- 
ing a  committee  was  appointed  who  canvassed 
among  the  people  of  the  village  and  the  surround- 


66  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

ing  country  and  obtained  about  four  thousand 
dollars,  which  was  turned  over  to  the  college 
treasurer  to  supplement  the  income  from  tuition 
fees.  The  treasurer  being  thus  reinforced,  the 
threatened  calamity  was  avoided,  and  the  college 
work  continued  on  as  of  yore.  President  John- 
son having  resigned,  the  official  duties  of  that 
office  during  1863-4  were  assumed  by  other  mem- 
bers of  the  Faculty. 

H.    0.    NEWCOMB. 

In  the  summer  vacation  of  1863,  H.  O.  Newcomb, 
of  Hiram.  Ohio,  a  graduate  of  Ann  Arbor,  Michi- 
gan, was  elected  Professor  of  the  Greek  and 
German  languages  and  literature.  The  appoint- 
ment was  accepted  and  Professor  Newcomb  enter- 
ed upon  the  duties  of  his  chair  in  September, 
1863. 

The  crisis  had  been  reached  and  passed  with- 
out disaster.  The  number  of  students  was  once 
more  on  the  increase,  and  the  college  was  again 
prosperous. 

H.    W.    EVEREST. 

In  1864,  H.  W.  Everest,  a  graduate  of  Oberlin 
College,  Ohio,  and  President  of  Hiram  College, 
in  that  State,  accepted  the  presidency  of 
Eureka  College.  He  was  an  executive  officer  of 


HISTORY  OF  EUEEKA   COLLEGE.  67 

superior  ability,  and  presided  as  the  head  of  the 
institution  for  many  years.  During  the  first  three 
years  of  his  administration  the  number  of  students 
increased  from  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to 
two  hundred  and  twenty  five. 

THE   ENDOWMENT. 

About  1866  the  Trustees  resolved  to  make  an 
effort  for  an  increase  of  the  endowment  fund. 
Dr.  J.  M.  Allen  was  excused  from  the  Faculty  and 
accepted  the  place  of  general  financial  agent. 
Many  plans  of  operation  were  suggested,  discuss- 
ed and  discarded.  At  length  the  Doctor  entered 
upon  the  work,  taking  pledges  upon  the  condition 
that  twelve  thousand  dollars  should  be  raised  in 
Woodford  county.  The  work  was  pushed  by  the 
Doctor  until  the  pledges  amounted  in  the  aggre- 
gate to  about  twenty  thousand  dollars.  A  meet- 
ing of  the  Board  was  called  to  hear  the  report  of 
their  agent.  The  amount  of  pledges  gave  great 
satisfaction,  but  an  inspection  revealed  the  fact 
that  the  pledges  in  Woodford  county  did  not 
amount  to  twelve  thousand  dollars,  and  conse- 
quently none  of  them  were  binding.  A  few  of 
the  Woodford  county  donors  were  prevailed  upon 
to  increase  their  respective  pledges,  whereupon 
Mr.  Greorge  Callender  agreed  to  become  responsi- 
ble for  the  balance  of  the  twelve  thousand  dollars 


68  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

necessary  to   make    the   many   pledges   of    legal 
force. 

The  college  now  possessed  an  endowment  fund 
of  more  than  twenty  thousand  dollars.  But  there 
was  an  unfortunate  feature  of  weakness  in  the 
otherwise  well-guarded  scheme.  All  donors  were 
dealt  with  as  preferred  borrowers,  everyone  being 
allowed  to  retain  in  his  possession  as  a  loan  the 
full  amount  of  his  pledge,  giving  his  own  note 
therefor  without  collateral.  As  a  consequence 
a  large  percentage  of  the  endowment  became  worth- 
less from  unexpected  failures  in  business. 

A.  G.  EWING. 

Mr.  Ewing  was  a  native  of  Tennessee,  but  in 
early  life  removed  to  Virginia.  He  emigrated  to 
Illinois  and  located  in  Walnut  Grove,  near  the 
college,  in  1858.  He  was  elected  to  a  trusteeship 
soon  after  his  arrival.  At  the  death  of  E. 
Dickinson,  in  1862,  Elder  A.  G.  Ewing  was  elected 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  which  office 
he  held  continuously  for  more  than  ten  years,  and 
until  his  death  in  1873. 

THE    CHAPEL. 

The  building  which  had  been  erected  in  1858 
had  abundant  room  to  accommodate  all  the  legiti- 
mate wants  of  the  college  at  that  time,  but  was  en- 


THE  ORIGINAL  COLLEGE  FOLDING 


THE  CHAPEL. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  69 

tirely  inadequate  for  the  demands  of  1867.  There 
was  an  insufficient  number  of  rooms,  the  chapel 
was  too  small  for  the  increased  number  of  students 
in  attendance,  the  literary  societies  were  clamor- 
ing for  larger  rooms,' and  the  library  arid  museum 
needed  additional  space. 

To  provide  for  these  pressing  demands  the 
Board  of  Trustees  resolved  to  erect  another  build- 
ing on  the  college  campus.  The  ceremony  of  lay- 
ing the  corner-stone  took  place  at  the  close  of 
session  1867-8,  and  the  superstructure  was  com- 
pleted in  1869. 

The  edifice  was  known  as  the  Chapel.  It  was 
a  large  building  of  two  stories.  The  whole  of  the 
upper  story  was  fitted  up  for  a  chapel  and  lecture 
room.  The  lower  story  was  sub-divided  into  three 
rooms,  one  of  which  was  assigned  to  the  Edmund 
Burke  Society,  one  to  the  Periclesian  Society,  while 
the  other  was  appropriated  for  the  use  of  library 
and  museum. 

THE  $12,000  LOAN. 

The  resources  of  the  college  were  tuition  fees, 
interest  on  a  small  endowment,  and  donations.  But 
the  aggregate  of  these  was  insufficient  to  defray 
current  expenses.  Every  year  there  was  a  deficit 
and  some  of  the  creditors  would  receive  interest- 
bearing  treasury  orders.  Many  of  these  would  be 
cashed  by  some  of  the  college  friends,  who  would 


70  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

carry  them  from  year  to  year.  But  after  a  few 
years  the  amount  of  such  outstanding  orders  would 
become  so  great  as  to  suggest  danger. 

In  1871  the  floating  debt  had  become  quite 
alarming.  Fortunately  the  debt  was  almost  ex- 
clusively owned  by  friends  of  the  college,  disposed 
to  aid  the  institution  to  the  extent  of  their  ability. 
The  owners  of  the  claims  were  interviewed  by  col- 
lege agents,  and  they  canvassed  the  matter  among 
themselves.  As  a  result,  the  individual  claims 
were,  in  numerous  instances,  surrendered,  and  thus 
the  floating  debt  was  reduced  to  an  aggregate  of 
about  twelve  thousand  dollars.  To  provide  for  this 
balance  a  loan  was  obtained.  In  this  way  the 
Trustees  were  relieved,  temporarily,  from  the  an- 
noyance of  overdue  debts. 

To  provide  for  the  semi-annual  interest,  and  for 
the  liquidation  of  the  principal  when  due,  the 
endowment  committee  made  renewed  efforts  to  in- 
crease that  fund.  They  also  decided  to  ask  for 
donations  bearing  ten  per  cent  interest  and  pay- 
able at  the  maturity  of  the  loan. 

Sundry  men  of  ability  were  employed  and  sent 
into  the  field  of  work  to  make  known  to  the  numer- 
ous college  friends  the  financial  situation  and  to 
solicit  their  co-operation  in  providing  for  the  emer- 
gency. 

During  1872-3  Elder  W.  T.  Maupin  operated  as 
the  traveling  financial  agent.  He  visited  numer- 


HISTOBY  OF  EUEEKA   COLLEGE.  71 

ous  localities  and  accomplished  many  favorable 
results,  by  awakening  enthusiasm  among  the  peo- 
ple for  the  ultimate  triumph  of  the  college. 

During  the  session  of  1873-4  Elder  W.  G.  Ander- 
son was  employed  to  occupy  the  field  as  financial 
agent.  It  was  largely  by  his  activity  and  earnest 
appeals  that  such  an  amount  of  pledges  was  ob- 
tained as  induced  the  trustees  to  announce  to  the 
people,  by  publication  in  the  Eureka  Journal,  that 
the  loan  was  provided  for  and  would  be  paid  at 
maturity. 

RESIGNATION  OF  PRESIDENT  EVEREST. 

In  1872  H.  W.  Everest  resigned  and  accepted  a 
call  to  preach  for  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Spring- 
field, Illinois.  He  had  been  a  faithful  presiding 
officer  of  the  institution  for  eight  years. 

A.  M.  WESTON. 

Upon  the  resignation  of  President  H.  W.  Everest 
A.  M.  Weston  was  elected  President  of  the  Facul- 
ty. He  had  been  called  from  Ohio  two  years  pre- 
viously to"  take  a  place  on  the  Faculty  as  Profes- 
sor of  Greek. 

B.  J.  RADFORD. 

Mr.  Radford  was  educated  at  Eureka  College. 
His  father,  B.  J.  Radford,  Sr.,  emigrated  from  Ken- 


72  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

tucky  and  located  in  Walnut  Grove  many 
years  before  the  existence  of  Walnut  Grove 
Academy,  and  was  a  charter  member  in  the  incor- 
poration of  that  school.  B.  J.  Radford,  Jr.,  was  a 
student  of  Eureka  College  when  Abraham  Lincoln 
made  the  first  call  for  volunteers  to  aid  in  suppress- 
ing the  rebellion.  In  company  with  many  others 
who  were  his  fellow  students,  he  promptly  offered 
his  services.  He  subsequently  enlisted  for  three 
years  and  was  in  the  army  during  the  war.  After 
the  war  he  renewed  his  connection  with  the  college 
and  graduated  in  1866.  Soon  after  leaving  college 
he  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 
In  1870  he  was  elected  Professor  of  Latin.  At  the 
resignation  of  President  A.  M.  Weston,  he  was 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy.  At  the  expiration  of 
two  years  he  resigned  the  presidency  and  accepted 
a  call  to  preach  for  the  church  at  Des  Moines,  la. 
In  1878  he  returned  to  Eureka  and  was  again 
placed  on  the  Faculty  as  Professor  of  Greek  and 
Sacred  Literature.  In  1881  he  resigned  his  pro- 
fessorship to  accept  a  call  as  pastor  of  one  of  the 
congregations  of  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio.  While  in  Cincinnati  he  was  appointed 
one  of  the  editors  of  the  Christian  Standard.  In 
1890  he  accepted  a  call  as  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Denver,  Colorado,  and  removed  to  that  city.  Find- 
ing his  health  fast  declining  under  the  climatic 
influences  of  that  mountainous  region,  in  1892  he 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  73 

returned  to  Eureka,  Illinois,  and  was  again  placed 
on  the  Faculty  of  the  college. 


CHAPTER  V. 

H.  W.  Everest  again  President — The  Boarding  House  Company 
— Apparatus  Replenished — Faculty  of  1881-2— Endowment — 
Abingdon  College  Consolidated  With  Eureka  College. 

H.  W.  EVEREST  AGAIN  PRESIDENT. 

In  1877  Professor  Everest  was  again  elected 
President  of  the  Faculty.  He  accepted  the  appoint- 
ment and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  in 
September  of  that  year.  But  in  1881  he  again 
resigned  to  accept  the  appointment  as  President  of 
Butler  University,  at  Irvington,  Indiana. 

THE  BOARDING  HOUSE  COMPANY. 

This  was  an  incorporated  company  organized  in 
1878  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  boarding  facili- 
ties for  the  accommodation  of  students.  A  board- 
ing hall  of  two  stories  was  erected  in  1878  of  such 
dimensions  as  to  afford  ample  accommodations  for 
forty-eight  young  men — two  in  each  room. 

APPARATUS  REPLENISHED. 

Soon    after    the    return    of   President  Everest, 

(74) 


GENTLEMEN'S  HALL,  NO.  1. 


GENTLEMEN'S  HALL,  NO.  2. 


HIS TOE Y  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.         ,  75 

through  his  earnest  representations  as  to  pressing 
wants  of  the  college,  the  Board  of  Trustees  appro- 
priated one  thousand  dollars  to  be  used  in  the 
purchase  of  mathematical  and  philosophical  appa- 
ratus. This  money  was  placed  in  the  hands  of 
President  Everest,  who  was  authorized  to  make 
such  purchases  as  he  thought  would  be  for  the 
best  interests  of  the  college.  Thus  instructed,  Pres- 
ident Everest  went  to  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  made  a  very  judicious  selection  of  ap- 
paratus. 

FACULTY  OF    1881-2. 

J.  M.  ALLEN,  A.  M.,  President, 
Professor  of  Latin  and  English  Literature. 

JAMES  KIRK,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Natural  Science. 

CARL  JOHANN,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Modern  Languages. 

A.  8.  FISHER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

ANDREW  J.  YOUNGBLOOD,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Greek,  and  Mental  and  Moral  Science. 


Professor  of  the  Bible  and  Sacred  Literature. 

PROFESSOR  J.  W.  METCALFE, 

Honorary  Graduate  of  the  Royal  Conservatory  of  Music,  Leipsic, 
Germany,  Director  of  the  School  of  Music. 

Miss  SARAH  JEANNE  GARRETT, 
Teacher  of  Drawing  and  Painting. 

JAMES  KIRK, 
Curator  of  Museum. 

CARL  JOHANN, 
Librarian. 


76  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

The  Faculty  during  the  session  1883-4  was  the 
following : 

J.  M.  ALLEN,   A.  M.,  President, 
Professor  of  Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy  and  Sacred  History. 

B.  J.  RADFORD,  A.  M,, 
Professor  of  the  Bible  aud  Sacred  Literature. 

JAMES  KIRK,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Physical  and  Natural  Science. 

CARL  JOHANN,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Modern  Languages. 

A.  S.  FISHER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

ANDREW  J.  YOUNGBLOOD,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Ancient  Languages. 

J.  V.  COOMBS,  A.  B., 
Professor  of  English  Literature,  Elocution  and  Didactics. 

N.  S.  RICHMOND, 
Professor  of  Penmanship,  Bookkeeping,  Business  Forms  and  Stenography. 

PROFESSOR  J.  W.  METCALFE, 

Prize  Graduate  of  Royal  Conservatory,  Leipsic,  Germany,  Director 
of  School  of  Music. 

JOHN  DEPUE, 
Vocalist  and  Assistant  Teacher  of  Piano  and  Organ. 

PROFESSOR  EDWARD  E.  BLITZ, 
Graduate  of  National  Conservatory,  Paris,  France,  lasructor  of  Violin. 

Miss  CLARA  J.  HATCH, 
Instructor  of  Drawing  and  Painting. 

JAMES  KIRK, 
Curator  of  Museum. 

CARL  JOHANN, 
Librarian. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  77 

ENDOWMENT. 

The  promoters  of  the  college  from  its  first  or- 
ganization had  realized  that  an  adequate  endow- 
ment fund  is  necessary  for  ultimate  success.  Ac- 
cordingly many  efforts  had  been  made  to  procure 
such  a  fund  and  many  thousand  dollars  had  been 
promised,  but  only  a  very  small  percentage  had 
been  paid  into  the  treasury — the  donors  being  con- 
sidered as  preferred  borrowers  and  allowed  to 
retain  their  promised  donations  as  loans,  without 
security,  except  promissory  notes,  without  endorse- 
ments. In  numerous  instances  the  unforeseen  vicis- 
situdes in  the  fortunes  of  men  caused  such  assets 
to  become  of  small  value.  But  notwithstanding  this 
faulty  financiering,  persisted  in  by  the  endowment 
committee,  the  college  sessions  had  been  continu- 
ous for  twenty-nine  years  without  the  loss  of  a 
week,  and  hundreds  of  young  men  and  young 
women  had  received  valuable  training,  enabling 
them  to  secure  honorable  and  profitable  situations 
in  the  on-going  and  rapidly  developing  depart- 
ments of  business  in  our  vast  Mississippi  Valley. 

Large  numbers  had  completed  the  college  cur- 
riculum and  had  been  awarded  diplomas  as  evi- 
dence of  their  faithful  work,  nor  have  they  failed  to 
reflect  honor  upon  their  Alma  Mater.  They  may 
be  found  in  pulpits,  at  the  bar,  in  lecture-rooms,  as 
college  presidents  and  professors,  in  legislatures,  in 


78  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

the  halls  of  congress,  in  places  of  prominence 
and  trust  along  the  channels  of  trade  and  at  the 
centers  of  commerce. 

But  deficits  in  the  treasury  were  not  infrequent, 
and  would  be  provided  for  by  the  liberality  of 
college  friends,  who  were  at  times  burdened  by 
such  sacrifices  in  their  efforts  to  temporarily  re- 
lieve the  institution.  The  Trustees  foresaw  clearly 
that  such  a  condition  of  affairs  could  not  continue 
indefinitely — that  sooner  or  later  a  collapse  would 
be  the  inevitable  result. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  in  January,  1884,  the 
nonresident  members  proposed  to  raise  $50,000 
outside  of  Woodford  county,  if  the  resident  mem- 
bers would  raise  $25,000  within  the  county,  of  new 
permanent  endowment  bearing  six  per  cent  in- 
terest. 

The  Endowment  Committee  were  aroused  into  a 
state  of  activity  and  zeal  above  their  common 
plane  of  effort.  In  their  counsels  they  carefully 
considered  all  the  suggestions  from  buoyant  friends 
and  the  mutterings  of  evil  from  chronic  croakers, 
and  were  not  a  little  influenced  by  rumored  offers 
from  a  distant  city.  Zealously  the  work  was 
pushed  forward,  and  largely  through  the  earnest 
appeals  of  Professor  W.  F.  Black,  the  popular 
Christian  orator  and  college  promoter,  of  Tuscola, 
Illinois,  the  commendable  attempt  was  abundantly 
successful. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  79 

At  a  mass  meeting  called  for  the  purpose,  and 
held  in  the  Christian  church,  the  Endowment 
Committee  submitted  a  report  from  which  the  fol- 
lowing has  been  taken : 

New  Endowment  Raised  in  Woodford  County — 6  per 

cent,  interest- bearing  notes  ....  $25,125.00 

New  Endowment  Raised  Without  the  County,  bear- 
ing 6  per  cent,  interest 5,750.00 


Total  New  Endowment        -        -        -        -        -        -      $30,875.00 

College  Aid  Fund  in  Treasury       -      -       -      $4,375.00 
New  Aid  Fund  Raised  in  County        -        -        3,812.55 


$  8,169.55 

New  Bequests        -  -         $  1,300.00 

Old  Fund  Outstanding,  but  Good  and  Interest-bearing  12,357.00 
Old  Fund  in  hands  of  Treasurer,  Interest-bearing  -  8,000.00 
Total  Interest-Bearing  Endowment  51,231.00 

Grand  Total  of  all  Funds  -        60,701.55 

ABINGDON  COLLEGE  CONSOLIDATED  WITH  EUREKA 
COLLEGE. 

In  the  summer  of  1884,  committees  of  the  respec- 
tive colleges,  one  committee  from  each,  negotiated 
terms  of  consolidation,  and  the  combination  went 
into  operation  in  the  following  September  with  a 
Faculty  composed  as  follows : 

J.  M.  ALLEN,  A.  M.,  President, 
Professor  of  Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy  and  Sacred  History. 

B.  J.  RADFORD,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  the  Bible  and  Sacred  Literature. 


80  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

CARL  JOHANN,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Modern  Languages. 

A.  S.  FISHER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

ANDREW  J.  YOUNGBLOOD,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Ancient  Languages. 

H.  L.  BRUNER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Natural  Sciences. 

W.  S.  ERRETT,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

N.  L.  RICHMOND, 
Professor  of  Penmanship,  Bookkeeping,  Business  Forms  and  Stenography. 

J.  W.  METCALF, 

Prize  Graduate  of  Royal  Conservatory,  Leipsic,  Germany,  Director  of 
School  of  Music. 

Miss  LETTIE  BRUNER, 
Vocalist  and  Assistant  Teacher  of  Piano  and  Organ. 

PROFESSOR  HAROLD  PLOWE, 
Instructor  of  Violin. 

Miss  SADIE  GARRETT, 
Instructor  of  Drawing  and  Painting. 

H.  L.  BRUNER, 
Curator  of  Museum. 

H.  N.  HERRICK. 
Librarian. 


THE    ALUMNI   ET   ALUMNAE. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
in  1885  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions 
were  adopted : 

WHEREAS,  an  arrangement  has  been  made  by  which  all  our 
educational  interests  of  a  higher  order  shall  be  merged  into  one 
institution  of  learning,  therefore 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE.  81 

Resolved,  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Eureka  College  : 

1.  That  the  consolidation  of  Abingdon  College  with  Eureka 
College,  at  Eureka,  is  an  event  deserving  formal  recognition  by 
us. 

2.  That  we  fully  appreciate  the  unselfish  and  catholic  spirit 
in  which  the  concessions  were  made  that  led  to  this    result  by 
those  most  directly  concerned  and  interested  in  perpetuating  the 
existence  of  Abingdon  College. 

3.  That  we  accept  the  task  imposed  by  this  merging  of  the 
existence  of  Abingdon  College  into  the  existence  of  Eureka  Col- 
lege, and,  also,  which  was  the  controlling  motive  in  bringing  it 
about,  viz. :    To  provide  for  the  general  control  and  support  of 
our  educational  interests  in  the  state. 

4.  That  the  Alumni  et  Alumnse    of   Abingdon    College   are 
hereby  accepted  and  recognized  as  the  children  of  Eureka  Col 
lege,  and  entitled  to  all  the   rights,  privileges   and  honors  of 
students  of  Eureka  College  who  have  received  like  degrees,  and 
that  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  is  hereby  instructed  to  secure  the 
names  of  such  graduates,  to  be  enrolled  among  those  of  Eureka 
College. 

5.  The  name  of  the  consolidated  schools  shall  be  Eureka  Col- 
lege,  and  shall  be  perpetuated  under  the  charter  of  Eureka 
College. 

6 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Union  of  Abingdon  College  with  Eureka  College — The  Mission 
Tabernacle— Faculty  for  1885-6— Professor  A.  S.  Fisher- 
Session  of  1886-7— Lida's  Wood. 

UNION  OF  ABINGDON  COLLEGE  WITH  EUREKA 
COLLEGE. 

All  the  friends  of  Christian  education  had  felt 
for  many  years  that  the  prospects  for  establishing 
a  strong  college,  such  as  the  brotherhood  in 
Illinois  needs,  were  not  flattering,  while  our  forces 
and  means  and  patronage  were  divided  between 
two  colleges.  It  was  felt  that  one  of  them  must 
ultimately  give  up  the  struggle,  and  the  uncer- 
tainty as  to  which  one  would  survive  induced 
many  to  withhold  their  help,  no  one  desiring  to 
invest  his  means  in  an  institution  of  learning 
that  might  close  its  doors  at  any  time. 

As  a  result  of  this,  both  colleges,  though  doing 
much  good  with  their  limited  means,  were  greatly 
hampered  for  lack  of  sufficient  support.  Tuition 
fees  alone  never  can  support  a  college,  and  unless 

material   assistance  is   obtained  in   the   form   of 

(82) 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE.  83 

donations,  legacies  and  endowments,  the  insti- 
tution must  either  go  in  debt  without  prospect 
of  ever  liquidating  its  obligations,  or  it  must 
so  reduce  its  corps  of  teachers  and  pay  the  re- 
maining ones  such  small  salaries  as  to  interfere 
materially  with  the  quality  of  the  work.  This 
had  long  been  apparent  to  the  Trustees  of  the 
two  colleges.  Financial  support  for  each  came 
almost  exclusively  from  the  localities  in  which 
the  buildings  stood  The  brotherhood  in  the 
State  took  very  little  interest  in  the  work  of 
education.  Financial  agents  sent  out  by  the  col- 
lege authorities  received  very  little  encourage- 
ment, and  the  future  looked  very  unpromising. 

During  the  few  years  just  preceding  the  union 
of  the  colleges,  Abingdon  had  been  even  less  suc- 
cessful than  Eureka  in  winning  the  confidence  and 
support  of  the  brotherhood,  so  in  the  summer  of 
1884  the  Trustees  of  Eureka  College  entered  into 
correspondence  with  Pres.  F.  M.  Bruner,  who  was 
then  at  the  head  of  Abingdon  College,  with  a  view 
of  uniting  all  our  educational  interests  in  Eureka. 
Several  meetings  were  held,  and  as  a  result  of 
these  meetings  Abingdon  College  ceased  to  exist 
as  a  school  under  the  control  of  the  Church  of 
Christ. 

Pres.  F.  M.  Bruner  and  Profs.  H.  L.  Bruner  and 
"W.  S.  Errett  and  Miss  Lettie  Bruner,  who  had 
been  members  of  the  Faculty  of  Abingdon  College, 


84  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

became  teachers  in  Eureka,  and  it  was  felt  on 
all  sides  that  the  cause  of  Christian  education  in 
Illinois  had  been  greatly  strengthened  by  this 
union. 

THE    MISSION    TABERNACLE. 

Attendance  at  the  Christian  Missionary  Con- 
vention, which  meets  annually  in  Eureka  during 
the  early  part  of  August,  had  so  steadily  increas- 
ed from  year  to  year  that  the  Christian  Church, 
in  which  the  meetings  were  held,  became  too  small 
to  hold  the  audiences.  Being  always  ready  to 
do  their  part,  and  even  more  than  their  part,  the 
friends  of  the  college  in  Eureka  decided  in  1884 
to  build  an  audience-room  on  the  college  campus, 
sufficiently  large  and  commodious  to  accommodate 
all  who  might  come.  This  audience-room  was 
also  to  be  used  for  Commencement  exercises  and 
for  other  large  public  meetings. 

The  Mission  Tabernacle,  which  was  erected  for 
this  purpose,  is  a  room  80  feet  wide  by  100  feet 
long  ;  it  stands  on  gently  sloping  ground  and  forms 
a  natural  amphitheater,  the  speakers'  platform 
standing  at  the  lower  end.  Back  of  the  platform 
there  are  two  rooms,  14  by  16  feet,  used  as  com- 
mittee rooms.  The  audience-room  contains  1,200 
chairs,  and  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  pur- 
pose for  which  it  was  erected.  The  structure  cost 
about  $4,000. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  85 


FACULTY   FOR    1885-6. 

J.  M.  ALLEN,  A.  M.,  President, 
Professor  of  Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy  and  Sacred  History. 

W.  F.  BLACK,  Vice  President, 
Lecturer  on  Biblical  Subjects. 

F.  M.  BRUNER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Bible  and  Sacred  Literature. 

CARL  JOHANN,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Modern  Languages. 

A.  S.  FISHER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

ANDREW  J.  YOUNGBLOOD,  A.  M.. 
Professor  of  Ancient  Languages. 

H.  L.  BRUNER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Natural  Sciences. 

N.  L.  RICHMOND, 
Professor  of  Penmanship,  Bookkeeping,  Business  Forms  and  Stenography. 

Miss  EMMA  GOODSPEED, 
Professor  of  Elocution  and  English  Literature. 

W.  WAUGH  LANDER, 
Director  of  School  of  Music. 

Miss  LETTIE  BRUNER, 
Vocalist  and  Assistant  Teacher  of  Piano  and  Organ. 

L.  E.  HERSEY, 
Instructor  of  Violin. 

Miss  SADIE  GARRETT, 
Instructor  in  Drawing  and  Painting. 

H.  L.  BRUNER, 
Curator  of  Museum. 

H.  N.  HERRICK, 
Librarian. 


86  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

PROF.    A.    S.    FISHER. 

During  the  summer  of  1885  Prof.  A.  S.  Fisher 
severed  his  connection  with  Eureka  College  and 
moved  to  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  where  he  is  living  at 
the  present  time.  He  was  the  first  teacher  of 
Walnut  Grove  Academy,  now  known  as  Eureka 
College,  and  was  connected  with  the  school  from 
1848  to  1886.  Not  often  does  a  teacher  remain  in 
the  same  school  for  thirty-eight  years,  and  this 
long  service  is  in  itself  sufficient  evidence  of 
his  ability  and  of  his  zeal  in  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion. He  saw  the  institution  with  which  he  was 
identified  develop  from  a  little  country  school, 
taught  by  one  teacher  in  one  little  room,  to  a  pros- 
perous college  with  six  buildings,  fifteen  teachers 
and  nearly  three  hundred  students.  His  influence 
among  the  students  was  always  good,  he  was 
highly  respected  and  greatly  beloved  by  all  his 
pupils,  and  hundreds,  yea,  thousands  of  young 
persons  were  led  into  paths  of  usefulness  by  his 
advice  and  example. 

SESSION  1886-7. 

During  this  entire  session  the  President,  Dr.  J. 
M.  Allen,  was  in  the  field  soliciting  means  for 
the  college,  and  Carl  Johann  acted  as  President 
pro  tern.,  otherwise  the  Faculty  was  substantially 
the  same  as  during  the  previous  session.  At  the 


HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE.  87 

end  of  this  session  Dr.  Allen  resigned  Xhe  presi- 
dency to  become  the  financial  agent  of  the  col- 
lege, and  Carl  Johann  was  elected  to  take  his 
place  in  that  responsible  position.  He  accepted 
the  honor  thus  conferred  on  him,  and  the  ses- 
sion 1887-8  opened  with  the  following  Faculty : 


CABL  JOHANN,  A.  M.  LL.  D.,  President, 
Professor  of  Modern  Languages. 

W.  F.  BLACK,  A.  M.,  Vice  President, 
Lecturer  on  Biblical  Subjects. 

F.  M.  BRUNER,    A.  M., 
Professor  of  the  Bible  and  Sacred  Literature. 

A.  J.  YOUNGBLOOD,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Ancient  Languages. 

H.  N.  HERRICK,  A.  B., 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

SETH  E.  MEEK,  M.  S., 
Professor  of  Natural  Sciences. 

JAMES  CHALMERS,  A.  B., 
Professor  of  English  Language  and  Literature. 

G.    W.    HOOTMAN, 
Professor  of  Penmanship,  Bookkeeping  and  Business  Forms. 

Miss  ESTELLE  FRANKLIN, 
Director  of  the  School  of  Music,  Piano. 

L.  E.  HERSEY, 
Instructor  of  Violin. 

MRS.  S.  E.  MEEK, 
Teacher  of  Vocal  Culture. 

Miss  MINA  VANDERVORT, 
Instructor  in  Drawing  and  Painting. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

S.  E.  MEEK, 
Curator  of  Museum. 

DR.  J.  M.  ALLEN  AND  W.  H.  BOLES, 
Financial  Agents. 


Slowly  but  steadily  the  attendance  of  students 
had  been  increasing  during  the  last  few  years, 
owing  mainly  to  the  better  work  done  by  the 
college  and  to  judicious  advertising.  One  of  the 
greatest  needs  at  this  time  was  better  and  more 
abundant  boarding  facilities,  especially  for  young 
ladies  that  came  to  Eureka.  The  college  had  two 
boarding  halls  at  this  time,  a  two-and-a-half  story 
frame  house  occupied  by  young  ladies  and  a 
two-story  brick  hall  for  gentlemen,  but  both  were 
crowded.  The  halls  were  riot  very  modern  in 
appearance.  A  large,  new,  modern  boarding  hall 
was  imperatively  needed,  and  the  Trustees  were 
formulating  plans  to  secure  the  means  to  erect 
one  when  Bro.  and  Sister  W.  J.  Ford  tendered 
them  the  gift  of  their  beautiful  residence  locat- 
ed on  a  four-acre  tract  of  ground  adjoining  the 
college,  said  property  to  be  used  as  a  boarding 
hall  for  young  ladies.  Only  two  conditions  were 
attached  to  the  gift.  These  were : 

1.  That  the  property  should  be  known  as 
"Lida's  Wood,"  in  memory  of  their  deceased 
daughter  Lida,  a  beautiful  and  noble  girl  13  years 
of  age  who  had  died  a  short  time  before,  and 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  89 

to  whom  the  natural  grove  of  noble  forest  trees 
on  the  premises  had  been  an  especial  and  con- 
tinual delight. 

2.  That  the  Trustees  should  during  the  follow- 
ing summer  build  an  addition  to  the  residence, 
sufficiently  large  to  provide  accommodation  for  at 
least  fifty  boarders. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  held 
April  19,  1888,  the  generous  offer  was  accepted  and 
the  following  resolution  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  Trustees  of  Eureka  College,  in  session 
assembled,  tender  to  Bro.  W.  J.  Ford  and  his  wife  their  sincere 
thanks  for  the  liberal  donation  of  their  residence  property  near 
the  college,  said  property  to  be  used  as  a  boarding  hall  for  the 
purpose  of  assisting  in  educating  worthy  young  ladies  who  may 
attend  said  college. 

A  soliciting  and  building  committee  was  im- 
mediately appointed,  and  preparations  were  made 
to  build  a  hall  that  should  be  a  model  in  every 
respect. 

The  residence  already  on  the  ground  was  built 
of  brick,  two-and-a  half  stories  high,  substantial, 
commodious  and  lavishly  decorated.  The  interior 
finish  was  of  polished  hardwood,  and  the  mantels 
were  of  white  marble.  The  ground  surrounding 
the  building  is  covered  with  magnificent  shade 
trees,  and  is  as  lovely  a  playground  for  the 
boarders  as  can  be  found  anywhere. 

The  soliciting  committee  met  with  success,  and 


90  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

before  the  college  session  opened  in  September 
the  addition  was  completed  at  an  expense  of 
$10,000. 

Though  Lida's  Wood  contained  forty  rooms,  it 
was  filled  with  boarders  from  the  very  begin- 
ning, and  went  far  toward  making  the  college 
more  popular. 

During  the  encampments  of  the  Missionary  Con- 
vention, which  are  held  annually  in  Eureka, 
Lida's  Wood  is  thrown  open  to  the  delegates,  and 
hundreds  are  boarded  there.  Lida's  Wood  was 
always  popular  with  the  students,  and  would 
have  been  so  for  many  years  to  come  had  not  the 
fire-fiend  reduced  it  to  ashes  January  11,  1894. 
At  4  o'clock  P.  M.  fire  was  detected  in  the  roof;  it 
spread  rapidly,  notwithstanding  the  heroic  efforts 
made  to  extinguish  the  flames,  and  before  7  o'clock 
p.  M.  the  beautiful  building  was  a  heap  of  smolder- 
ing ruins.  Thanks  to  the  help  rendered  by  the 
students  and  citizens  who  arrived  upon  the  scene 
soon  after  the  fire  began,  all  the  property  of 
the  boarders,  as  well  as  much  of  the  furniture,  was 
saved  and  no  one  was  injured. 

While  the  fire  was  still  raging  all  the  young 
ladies  who  boarded  at  Lida's  Wood  were  provided 
with  comfortable  homes  by  the  residents  of 
Eureka.  Insurance  on  the  building,  amounting 
to  $9,000,  was  paid  by  the  underwriters  without 
bickering  or  quibbling. 


HISTORY  OF   EUREKA    COLLEGE.  91 

The  Trustees  of  the  college  have  already  de- 
cided to  rebuild  Lida's  Wood,  and  it  is  hoped 
that  the  $9,000  insurance  money,  together  with 
voluntary  contributions  from  the  friends  of  the 
college  throughout  the  State,  will  enable  them 
to  replace  the  building  before  the  beginning  of 
the  session  of  1894-5.  The  college  has  enjoyed  the 
benefits  of  Lida's  Wood  for  six  years,  and  the  hall 
has  been  of  such  marked  advantage  to  the  success 
of  the  work  that  a  failure  to  rebuild  immediately 
would  greatly  hinder  our  progress.  Many  par- 
ents send  their  daughters  to  Eureka  College  be- 
cause they  can  here  secure  home  comforts  for 
them  in  a  boarding  hall  under  the  immediate 
supervision  of  the  Faculty,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  attendance  would  in  the  future  be  ma- 
terially reduced  if  the  hall  was  not  rebuilt. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Burgess  Memorial  Hall— Session  of  1892-3— Session  of   1893-4— 
The  Present  Condition  and  Needs  of  Eureka  College. 

BUKGESS  MEMORIAL  HALL. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  1890,  the  following  reso- 
lution was  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Trustees : 

WHEREAS,  the  attendance  in  Eureka  College  has  more  than 
doubled  in  the  last  few  years,  and 

WHEREAS,  the  buildings  now  used  by  the  College  are  entirely 
inadequate  to  accommodate  the  students  attending,  and 

WHEREAS,  we  anticipate  a  still  larger  attendance  next  session, 
therefore 

Resolved,  That  three  new  buildings  are  now  needed,  to  wit: 
One  recitation  building  and  two  boarding  halls,  and  that  we 
earnestly  request  the  friends  of  the  college  to  assist  us  in  obtain- 
ing means  to  erect  them. 

This  resolution  indicates  the  condition  of  the 
college  at  that  time.  The  boarding  halls  were 
full  and  the  college  buildings  so  crowded  that 
there  were  not  rooms  enough  for  the  number  of 
teachers  employed.  In  several  instances,  two 
teachers  had  to  occupy  the  same  room  on  alternate 

hours  to  hear  their  classes.     The  work  was  thus 

(92) 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  93 

retarded  considerably  and  made  very  unsatisfac- 
tory to  all  parties  concerned. 

This  resolution  was  quite  appropriate,  but  res- 
olutions do  not  provide  funds.  To  carry  out  the 
purposes  therein  indicated  at  least  $50,000  were 
necessary,  and  the  Trustees,  through  many  years 
of  experience,  had  learned  how  difficult  it  is  to 
induce  persons  of  means  to  give  a  part  of  the 
wealth  accumulated  by  them  for  educational  and 
religious  purposes.  Financial  agents  had  been  in 
the  field  for  years,  and  notwithstanding  their  best 
efforts  they  were  scarcely  able  to  collect  means 
enough  to  cover  the  deficit  that  must  of  necessity 
appear  annually  in  any  college  whose  income  from 
tuition  is  not  supplemented  by  large  revenues  from 
invested  endowment  funds.  The  Trustees  also  re- 
membered that  Eureka  College  was  largely  found- 
ed on  faith;  that  faith  had  sustained  them  and  the 
Faculty  during  the  darkest  hour  of  the  history  of 
the  college,  and  it  was  faith  in  the  friends  of  edu- 
cation that  prompted  them  to  adopt  the  resolution 
and  publish  it  to  the  world. 

The  President  of  the  Faculty  and  the  Financial 
Agent  were  then  instructed  to  correspond  with  the 
friends  of  the  college,  with  a  view  to  inducing 
them  to  make  liberal  donations  toward  the  three 
buildings  desired.  The  recitation  building  was  an 
absolute  necessity,  and  all  efforts  were  directed  in- 
to that  channel. 


94  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

Many  persons  were  written  to  and  visited,  but  no 
one  was  found  who  would  or  could  begin  a  sub- 
scription list  with  a  considerable  sum.  Progress 
was  very  slow,  and  it  seemed  as  though  nothing 
would  be  accomplished,  when,  after  an  extended 
correspondence,  and  after  having  made  two  visits 
to  her  home  in  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  President  Johann 
was  able  to  report  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  at  a 
called  meeting,  December  15th,  1890,  that  Sister  O. 
A.  Burgess  had  decided  to  give  the  college  $10,000 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  new  building,  provid- 
ed $10,000  more  be  subscribed  for  the  same  purpose 
by  the  friends  of  the  college  in  Illinois  before  the 
first  day  of  June,  1891. 

After  the  report  had  been  made  the  Board  adopt- 
ed the  following  resolution : 

Resolved,  That  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Eureka  College  here- 
by take  great  pleasure  in  acknowledging  the  proposed  donation 
from  Sister  O.  A.  Burgess,  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  college 
building.  We  hereby,  in  a  body  assembled,  unanimously  tender 
Sister  Burgess  our  most  sincere  thanks  for  her  substantial  appre- 
ciation of  the  good  work  our  worthy  institution  is  accomplishing, 
and  pray  that  God  may  bless  both  the  giver  and  her  gift  to  His 
glory. 

A  copy  of  this  resolution  was  ordered  sent  to 
Sister  Burgess  by  the  Secretary,  and  in  due  course 
of  time  the  following  characteristic  letter  was  re- 
ceived in  return : 

INDIANAPOLIS,  IND.,  Dec.  21st,  1890. 
MR.  R.  D.  SMITH,  Secretary  Eureka  College. 

Dear  Brother:  Yours  of  the  16th  received,  informing  me  of 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  95 

the  action  of  the  Trustees  of  Eureka  College,  touching  the  do- 
nation which  I  propose  making  to  be  used  by  them  in  the 
erection  of  a  new  and  modern  college  building. 

I  wish  to  thank  them  for  their  courteous  consideration  and 
to  assure  them  that  their  action  is  appreciated.  It  is  my  desire 
to  do  the  greatest  possible  good  with  the  means  that  our 
Heavenly  Father  has  seen  fit  to  intrust  to  my  keeping,  and  it 
is  with  that  end  in  view  that  I  have  decided  to  aid  the  Trus- 
tees of  Eureka  College  in  providing  more  ample  facilities  for 
the  education  of  young  men  and  women. 

The  demand  for  educated  men  and  women  to  do  the  Lord's 
work  was  never  more  urgent  than  now. 

Hoping  that  Eureka  College  may  very  soon  be  thoroughly 
equipped  and  ready  to  do  well  her  part  toward  meeting  the  de- 
mand, I  remain,  Respectfully, 

(Signed)  MRS.  O.  A.  BURGESS. 

This  letter  is  here  given  in  full  because  it  so 
beautifully  sets  forth  the  disinterested  generosity 
of  the  donor,  and  because  it  is  hoped  that  it 
may  be  an  example  to  others  who  have  been 
blessed  with  abundant  means. 

A  gift  made  with  such  evident  cheerfulness  and 
for  such  a  noble  purpose,  is  a  source  of  constant 
blessing  both  to  the  giver  and  to  the  receiver. 

May  the  influence  of  the  religion  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  induce  many  others  to  imitate  the 
worthy  example  of  Sister  Burgess. 

In  1890  Eureka  College  was  35  years  old,  and 
the  above  named  gift  was  the  largest  single  dona- 
tion ever  made  to  that  institution. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  now  felt  that  a  new  build- 
ing was  practically  assured,  and  they  excused 


96  HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

President  Johann  from  class  work  during  the 
winter  term,  that  he  might  go  out  to  solicit  the 
$10,000  necessary  to  make  Sister  Burgess'  donation 
available. 

Before  the  1st  day  of  June  arrived,  the  President 
and  Brother  J.  G.  Waggoner,  who  at  that  time  was 
pastor  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Eureka  and  who 
volunteered  to  assist  in  raising  funds,  had  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  pledges  for  $13,000,  and  on  the 
above  named  day  the  President  went  to  Indianap- 
olis to  report  to  Sister  Burgess  and  to  show  to  her 
that  the  Trustees  had  done  the  work  assigned  to 
them.  The  report  was  satisfactory,  and  her  dona- 
tion was  turned  over  to  the  Trustees. 

The  solicitors  who  visited  the  friends  of  the 
college  were  well  received  everywhere  and  liberal 
donations  were  made  by  nearly  all  who  were 
approached. 

An  architect  was  engaged  and  plans  made  for  a 
three  story  modern  building  which,  when  complet- 
ed, cost  $21,000. 

It  was  named  Burgess  Memorial  Hall  for  two 
reasons : 

1.  Because  Sister  Burgess  made  the  largest  con- 
tribution to  the  building  fund. 

2.  Because    her    deceased    husband,   in    whose 
memory  she  made  the  donation,  had  been  a  Pro- 
fessor and  Acting  President  for  a  time  in   the  col- 
lege. 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  97 

As  soon  as  all  the  preliminaries  had  been  ar- 
ranged, contracts  were  let  and  building  operations 
were  commenced.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  with 
imposing  ceremonies  October  14,  1891,  and  work 
was  continued  throughout  the  winter,  whenever  the 
weather  would  permit. 

Though  not  yet  provided  with  the  necessary  fur- 
niture, the  building  was  de  licated  to  the  cause  of 
Education  and  Christianity  during  the  State  Meet- 
ing in  August,  1891,  when  friends  were  present 
from  all  parts  of  Illinois  and  adjoining  States. 

The  subscriptions  made  had  been  sufficient  to 
pay  for  the  building,  and  it  was  dedicated  free  of 
debt,  but  no  heating  apparatus  and  no  furniture 
had  yet  been  provided.  Pledges  were  asked  for 
at  the  State  Meeting,  and  in  a  few  moments  $3,- 
000  were  subscribed.  A  steam  heating  plant  was 
at  once  ordered,  and  elegant,  substantial  modern 
furniture  was  purchased  for  all  the  rooms,  so  that 
Burgess  Hall  was  thoroughly  equipped  and  ready 
when  the  students  returned  in  September,  1892. 

Burgess  Hall  is  by  far  the  best  college  building 
we  now  have,  and,  together  with  the  other  build- 
ings, gives  us  ample  accommodations  for  500  stu- 
dents. It  is  built  of  pressed  red  brick  with  gray 
sandstone  trimmings,  and  contains  the  following 
rooms  : 

Ground  Floor. — President's  office,  three  rooms 
7 


98  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

for  the  department  of  Natural  Sciences,  and  one 
each  for  Modern  Languages  and  Latin. 

Second  Floor. — Two  rooms  for  the  Bible  depart- 
ment, and  one  each  for  the  departments  of  Greek, 
English  and  Mathematics.  The  Library  is  also  on 
this  floor. 

Third  Floor. — One  room  for  the  Art  Department 
and  two  for  the  Commercial  Department.  The 
room  for  Actual  Business  Practice  on  the  third 
floor  is  eighty  feet  square  and  is  undoubtedly  the 
largest  and  best  equipped  business  room  in  the 
State. 

The  furniture  throughout  the  building  is  of  solid 
oak,  elegantly  varnished  and  exactly  adapted  to 
our  wants. 

SESSION  1892-93. 

The  erection  of  Lida's  Wood  in  1888  and  the 
completion  of  Burgess  Hall  in  1892  gave  the  col- 
lege such  an  impetus  that  even  the  warmest  friends 
of  Eureka  were  surprised.  During  devotional 
exercises  the  chapel  was  every  morning  crowded 
with  as  bright  and  well  behaved  a  body  of  stu- 
dents as  could  be  found  anywhere.  Without 
the  new  buildings  we  would  have  been  utterly  un- 
able to  provide  for  their  wants.  The  increase  in 
the  number  of  students  compelled  the  Board  of 
Trustees  to  enlarge  the  Faculty,  and  the  session 
was  begun  with  the  following  corps  of  instructors  : 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

CARL  JOHANN,  A.  M.,  LL.D  ,  President, 
Professor  of  Modern  Languages. 

B.  C.  DEWEESE,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  the  John  Darst  Chair  of  Sacred  Literature. 

H.  N.  HERRICK,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Greek  and  Sanskrit. 

J.  M.  ATWATER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Latin  and  History. 

G.  A.  MILLER,  A.  M.,  PH.  D., 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

R.  E.  CONKLIN,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Natural  Sciences. 

R.  E.  HIERONYMUS,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  English  Literature. 

H.  A.  MINASSIAN,  A.  M.,  M.  D., 
Professor  of  Sacred  History. 

W.  T.  JACKSON,  A.  M., 
Assistant  Professor  of  Natural  Sciences. 

G.    W.    HOOTMAN, 

Principal  of  Commercial  Department. 

O.  J.  PAGE, 
Assistant  in  Commercial  Work. 

Miss  MELLIE  ALVEY, 
Director  of  School  of  Music,  Piano. 

Miss  JANIE  VANDERVORT. 
Teacher  of  Vocal  Culture  and  Harmony. 

MRS.  JESSIE  MINASSIAN,  M.  E.  L., 
Teacher  of  Drawing  and  Painting. 

Miss  ANNIE  J.  JONES,  M.  A., 
Teacher  of  Elocution. 

Miss  BELLE  EGGERT, 
Teacher  of  Type  Writing  and  Shorthand. 

R.  O.  SMALLEY, 
Teacher  of  Type  Writing  and  Shorthand. 


100  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

F.  W.  BURNHAM, 
Teacher  of  Telegraphy  and  Kailroad  Bookkeeping. 

F.  M.  BUZICK, 
Teacher  of  Penmanship. 

386  students  attended  college  during  this  session, 
the  largest  attendance  the  college  ever  had.  The 
work  done  was  eminently  satisfactory,  and  pros- 
pects brighter  than  ever. 

SESSION  1893-94. 

Progress  and  development  being  ever  our  watch- 
word, this  session  could  not  be  an  exception  to 
the  rule. 

Knowing  that  young  people  who  spend  much  of 
their  time  in  study  must  take  regular  and  system- 
atic physical  exercise,  the  Trustees  purchased,  in 
1890,  a  five-acre  park  near  the  campus  and  gave  it 
to  the  students  as  an  athletic  park.  This  action 
greatly  stimulated  interest  in  athletic  exercises, 
but,  unfortunately,  a  park  can  be  used  for  phys- 
ical exercise  only  in  the  fall  and  spring,  when  the 
weather  is  mild.  In  the  winter,  when  students 
were  most  in  need  of  such  exercise,  it  could  not 
be  had.  A  gymnasium  was  needed  and  the  Trus- 
tees made  arrangements  for  it.  The  four  rooms  on 
the  second  and  third  floors,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
old  recitation  building,  were  set  apart  for  this  pur- 
pose. Partition  walls  and  the  floor  between  the 
second  and  third  stories  were  removed,  throwing  the 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  101 

four  rooms  into  one.  This  room  was  neatly  fin- 
ished and  provided  with  a  full  set  of  the  best  ap- 
paratus to  be  had.  To-day  Eureka  College  has  a 
first-class  gymnasium,  giving  students  abundant 
opportunities  to  keep  their  physical  faculties  well 
developed  while  improving  their  mental  and  moral 
natures. 

The  years  1893  and  1894  will  ever  be  memorable 
on  account  of  the  great  and  disastrous  financial 
panic,  affecting  all  the  enterprises  of  our  country. 
All  enterprises  are  suffering  because  of  the  lack 
of  confidence  and  money.  Colleges  are  not  ex- 
empted. Many  persons  still  consider  an  education 
as  a  luxury,  and  refrain  from  sending  their  children 
to  school  when  hard  times  come. 

Though  many  colleges  suffered  severely  and  some 
lost  as  much  as  50  per  cent  in  attendance,  when  com- 
pared with  the  preceding  session,  Eureka  College 
held  her  own  remarkably  well.  Though  the  at- 
tendance is  somewhat  smaller  than  last  year,  the 
decrease  is  only  about  8  per  cent,  giving  us  no  good 
ground  for  complaint.  A  remarkable  circumstance 
in  connection  with  this  appalling  financial  depres- 
sion is  that,  notwithstanding  this  distress,  Eureka 
College  has  received  larger  donations  during  the 
last  six  months  than  during  any  period  of  equal 
length  since  the  institution  was  organized.  Two 
of  the  friends  of  the  college,  who  have  often  made 
donations  in  the  past,  gave  us  this  year  $5,000 


102  HISTORY  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE. 

each,  and  two  other  friends,  who  had  remembered 
the  college  in  their  wills,  passed  away  and  left  us 
$2,500  and  $10,000  respectively.  Other  smaller 
donations  were  received  which  swelled  our  avail- 
able assets  by  about  $25,000.  We  have,  therefore, 
abundant  reasons  to  be  grateful  to  our  Heavenly 
Father  for  the  great  prosperity  that  has  attended 
us.  At  the  present  time  the  Faculty  consists  of 
the  following  members  : 

CARL  JOHANN,  A.  M.,  LL.  D.,  President, 
Professor  of  Modern  Languages. 

B.  C.  DEWEESE,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  the  John  Darst  Chair  of  Sacred  Literature. 

B.  J.  RADFORD,  A.  M.,   LL.  D., 
Professor  of  Latin  and  History. 

H.  N.  HERRICK,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Greek  and  Sanskrit. 

S.  D.  VAWTER,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Mathematics. 

R.  E.  CONKLIN,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  Natural  Sciences. 

R.  E.  HIERONYMUS,  A.  M., 
Professor  of  English  Literature. 

G.  W.  HOOTMAN, 
Principal  of  Commercial  Department. 

Miss  MELLIE  ALVEY, 
Director  of  School  of  Music,  Piano. 

A.  T.  SMITH, 
Teacher  of  Vocal  Music. 

Miss  MATTIE  NARAMORE, 
Teacher  of  Drawing  and  Painting. 

Miss  ANNIE  J.  JONES, 
Teacher  of  Elocution. 


HISTORY  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE.  103 

Miss  BELLE  EGGERT, 
Teacher  of  Typewriting  and  Shorthand. 

J.  T.  ALLISON, 
Teacher  of  Typewriting  and  Shorthand. 

F.  W.  BURNHAM, 
Teacher  of  Telegraphy  and  Railroad  Bookkeeping. 


THE    PRESENT    CONDITION    AND    NEEDS    OF    EUREKA 
COLLEGE. 

Ever  since  1848  the  work  of  educating  the 
hearts  and  heads  of  the  young  people  who  have 
come  to  Eureka  for  an  education  has  been  con- 
tinued without  interruption.  From  a  very  insig- 
nificant beginning,  the  enterprise  has  gradually 
developed  until  to-day  the  Board  of  Trustees  hold 
in  trust  for  the  brotherhood  of  Illinois  the  follow- 
ing real  estate : 

A  beautiful  campus  covered  with  stately  forest 
trees  on  which  are  located  the  following  buildings. 
The  Old  Recitation  Building,  the  Chapel,  Burgess 
Memorial  Hall  and  the  Mission  Tabernacle.  Ad- 
joining the  campus  to  the  west  is  a  three  acre  lot 
on  which  stand  the  two  boarding  halls  for  gentle- 
men. Adjoining  the  campus  to  the  northeast  is  a 
four  acre  tract  on  which  Lida's  Wood,  the  Ladies' 
Boarding  Hall,  stood  till  it  was  destroyed  by  fire 
January  llth,  1894.  This  hall  will  be  immediate- 
ly rebuilt.  Southeast  of  the  campus  lies  the  five- 
acre  Athletic  Park. 


104  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

This  property,  worth  at  least  $75,000,  is  encum- 
bered by  a  mortgage  of  $9,000.  The  productive 
Endowment  Fund  is  very  small,  amounting  to  not 
more  than  $30,000,  and  is  entirely  inadequate  to 
provide  the  means  necessary  to  carry  on  the  work 
as  it  might  be  done  and  to  make  necessary  im- 
provements. Nine-tenths  of  all  the  means  ex- 
pended in  developing  Eureka  College  from  its 
humble  beginning,  have  been  contributed  by  the 
citizens  of  Eureka  and  vicinity,  yet  nearly  every 
community  in  the  State  of  Illinois  is  reaping  the 
benefits  of  the  work  done  in  Eureka,  by  having 
among  its  most  influential  citizens  men  and  women 
educated  in  Eureka. 

Hundreds  of  Eureka  students  have  gone  to  other 
states,  and  we  are  proud  to  say  that,  wherever  they 
are,  their  influence  is  for  the  good,  the  pure  and 
the  noble. 

Eureka  students  are  filling  pulpits  in  nearly 
every  State  in  the  Union,  and  eternity  alone  can 
tell  how  much  good  has  been  done,  is  being  done 
and  will  be  done  in  the  future  by  men  and  wo-men 
educated  in  Eureka. 

The  primary  aim  of  this  college  is  to  send  Chris- 
tian scholars  out  into  the  world,  for  we  believe  that 
the  best  results  can  be  obtained  only  by  Christian- 
izing learning. 

What  the  college  needs  now  is  an  Endowment 
Fund  sufficiently  large  to  give  the  Trustees  an  as- 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  105 

sured  permanent  income,  and  we  earnestly  plead 
with  those  who  have  been  blessed  with  an  abund- 
ance of  this  world's  goods  to  help  our  work  with 
liberal  donations.  We  can  not  conceive  of  any 
way  in  which  money  could  be  used  to  better  ad- 
vantage to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  welfare  of 
humanity.  Many  could  help  us  while  they  are 
living  and  have  the  satisfaction  of  witnessing  the 
good  results  produced  by  their  liberality.  Many 
more  should  remember  Eureka  College  when  mak- 
ing final  disposition  of  the  means  intrusted  to  their 
care  by  Providence.  Within  the  last  year  several 
friends  have  remembered  the  college  while  making 
their  wills,  and  two  legacies  amounting  to  $12,500 
have  come  to  us  during  the  last  six  months.  May 
we  not  hope  that  the  good  work  will  go  on,  and 
that  the  coming  years  will  bring  many  more  such 
gifts  ?  In  making  your  will,  the  following  form 
might  be  used  : 

"  I  give,  grant  and  bequeath  to  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  Eureka  College,  located  in  Eureka, 
Illinois,  the  sum  of  dollars,  said  sum  to  be- 
come part  of  the  permanent  endowment  of  said 
college." 

Harvard  College  has  an  endowment  of  eight  mil- 
lion dollars,  Columbia  College  has  eleven  millions, 
and  the  young  Chicago  University  already  has 
four  millions.  Think  how  much  good  Eureka 
might  do  if  she  had  a  large  endowment  fund,  and 


106  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

.help,  to  the  utmost  of  your  ability,  to  make  it 
larger. 

Eureka  College  is  steadily  growing  in  efficiency. 
The  catalogue  to  be  issued  this  summer  will  show 
that  the  course  of  studies  has  been  enlarged  so  as 
to  require  of  the  student  one  year  more  of  work 
before  graduation,  and  requirements  for  admission 
will  henceforth  include  the  following  : 

Knowledge  of  Mathematics  through  Geometry ; 
two  years  of  Latin,  one  year  of  Greek  or  German, 
an  elementary  knowledge  of  Botany,  Zoology  and 
Physiology  and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  English 
Grammar  and  Rhetoric.  The  curriculum  of  Eureka 
College  is  now  as  complete  and  comprehensive  as 
that  of  any  college  in  the  West. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


1    John  T.  Jones.  2    E.  Dickinson.  3     A.  G.  Ewing. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES. 

John  T.  Jones — Ben  Major — Elijah  Dickinson — Albert  G.  Ewing 
— John  Darst. 

JOHN    T.    JONES. 

In  1795,  in  Bucks  county,  Penn.,  there  was  glad- 
ly welcomed  into  the  family  of  Joshua  Jones  and 
his  wife  Eleanor  Thomas,  a  son,  who  received  the 
name  of  his  maternal  grandfather,  John  Thomas. 

They  were  of  Welsh  descent,  and  young  John 
T.  grew  up  under  the  stern  discipline  and  constant 
toil  usual  at  the  time. 

The  community  was,  religiously,  Quaker  and 
Baptist.  The  old  stone  Baptist  church  called 
Pennepek,  that  five  years  ago  celebrated  its  second 
centennial,  still  stands,  and  here  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  received  his  first  religious  impressions. 

Soon  after  attaining  his  majority,  he  went  to 
Cincinnati,  where  he  married  Miss  Ann  B.  Law- 
rence, who  was  called  home  in  a  few  years,  leav- 
ing one  son. 

In  1827  he  married  Miss  Emily  Woodward,  and 

(109) 


110  HI 8 TOE Y  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

in  1831  moved  to  Jacksonville,  111.  His  business 
capacity,  habits  of  industry  and  acknowledged  in- 
tegrity of  character,  gave  him  many  positions  of 
honor  and  trust.  At  an  early  day  in  "  The  Re- 
formation," having  united  with  the  Church  of 
Christ,  he  decided  to  prepare  himself  for  the  min- 
istry and  devoted  his  spare  time  to  Bible  study. 

He  loved  the  society  of  the  children  of  God  and 
was  most  loyal  to  his  brethren.  His  house  was 
the  preacher's  home,  and  in  dispensing  his  gener- 
ous hospitality  was  ably  assisted  by  his  gwife,  a 
lady  of  rare  refinement,  amiability  and  intellect- 
ual culture. 

He  was  liberal  almost  to  a  fault,  and  the  church 
with  which  he  was  connected  ever  found  him  one 
of  its  most  reliable  supporters.  Mr.  Jones  was 
reticent,  grave  and  dignified  in  demeanor  and  had 
an  habitual  reserve  of  manner  that  repelled  famil 
iarity  ;  but  his  heart  glowed  with  a  fervor  of  affec- 
tion that  his  exterior  did  not  indicate. 

In  1847  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Walnut 
Grove,  Woodford  county,  Illinois.  He  entered 
with  zest  into  all  the  plans  for  the  moral  and  in- 
tellectual development  of  the  place.  He  was 
chosen  a  trustee  of  the  infant  college  and  for 
twenty-five  years  never  failed  to  be  present  at  the 
annual  meetings  of  the  Board. 

In  so  limited  a  sketch  it  is  impossible  even  to 
toucJi  upon  the  events  of  a  life  covering  82  years  ; 


v 


BEN  MAJOK, 


BIO  GRAPHICAL .  Ill 

but  what  one  is  is  of  far  greater  importance  than 
what  he  does,  and  here  we  can  only  mention  the 
prominent  traits  forming  a  character  of  rare  firm- 
ness and  conscientious  activity. 

Mr.  Jones  was  progressive  and  never  grew  too 
old  to  be  the  friend  and  adviser  of  the  young 
preachers.  They  have  called  him  their  "father." 

His  last  years  were  spent  in  the  family  of  his 
son,  J.  Janvier  Jones,  in  Eureka,  kindly  and  ten- 
derly cared  for  by  his  son's  wife,  Mrs.  Lucy  Major 
Jones,  until  his  change  came,  May  14th,  1877,  at 
the  age  of  82  years. 

Like  the  setting  of  the  sun  in  a  clear  sky,  his 
life  closed  peacefully  and  beautifully,  with  the 
firm  assurance  that  for  him  a  new  and  brighter 
day  would  dawn.  S.  E.  G. 

BEN   MAJOE. 

Ben  Major  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Ken- 
tucky, Oct.  31st,  1796.  He  was  the  son  of  John 
and  Judith  (Trabue)  Major.  His  paternal  and 
maternal  ancestors  were  French  Huguenots,  who 
came  to  the  colony  of  Virginia  in  1699,  after  the 
revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  in  1685.  Pre- 
vious to  this  they  had  been  refugees  in  England, 
and  were  sent  to  Virginia  by  the  charity  of  King 
William,  and  became  naturalized  by  a  particular 
law  for  that  purpose. 


112  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

In  all,  there  were  about  eight  hundred  men, 
women  and  children  who  had  fled  from  France  on 
account  of  their  religious  opinions. 

They  first  settled  in  Powhatan  county,  but  from 
that  point  they  scattered  throughout  the  colony, 
some  settling  on  a  rich  tract  of  land  about  twenty 
miles  above  the  falls  of  James  River,  the  Majors 
and  Trabues  going  to  Franklin  county. 

The  memory  of  their  first  home  was  preserved 
by  the  name  Powhatan  being  given  as  a  Christian 
name  to  their  children. 

About  1790  many  families  came  to  Kentucky 
from  Virginia,  among  them  Mr.  Major's  father  arid 
mother  and  other  relatives.  Coming  there  before 
Kentucky  was  admitted  to  the  Union,  they  settled 
in  that  part  of  the  State  that  was  afterward  Frank- 
lin county,  supposed  to  be  named  from  the  coun- 
ty they  had  left  in  Virginia. 

That  they  were  people  of  culture  and  refine- 
ment will  be  seen  from  books,  silver  and  furniture 
over  one  hundred  years  old  still  in  possession  of 
the  family.  Here  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  and  passed  his  childhood.  His  father  was  a 
farmer,  as  were  nearly  all  the  settlers  in  Franklin 
county  at  that  time.  They  made  homes  similar  to 
those  still  seen  in  the  blue  grass  regions,  and  they 
were  like  no  other  farms  in  the  United  States. 

The  farms  were  large,  the  farm  houses  being 
placed  in  the  center,  surrounded  by  wide  pastures, 


BIO  GRAPHICAL.  113 

more  like  parks  in  England.  They  engaged  in 
stock-raising,  and  in  the  cultivation  of  corn  and 
tobacco,  and  in  a  few  years  were  in  easy  circum- 
stances. They  spun  their  own  cotton,  flax  and 
wool,  and  wove  cloth,  sending  the  surplus  to  New 
Orleans,  and  exchanging  it  for  foreign  goods. 

In  such  surroundings  Ben  Major's  youthful  days 
were  spent.  His  education  was  derived  from  pri- 
vate teachers,  as  schools  were  few  in  number. 
Two  or  three  families  would  employ  a  teacher,  or 
they  would  employ  one  in  each  family  ;  rarely 
some  were  sent  away  to  college. 

His  education  seems  to  have  been  above  that  of 
the  average  young  man  of  the  day,  as  well-worn 
volumes  of  Shakespeare,  Paradise  Lost  and  Lalla 
Rookh  will  attest,  and  he  was  ever  a  reader  and 
student  throughout  his  life. 

When  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  an  older 
brother,  John,  went  to  New  Orleans  to  engage  in 
business,  and  the  following  year  Ben  went  to  assist 
him.  They  continued  in  business  for  almost  five 
years. 

While  they  were  there  their  mother  died,  in 
1817,  and  the  next  year  John  died  with  yellow 
fever,  leaving  Ben  alone  in  New  Orleans.  He 
closed  up  the  business  the  following  year  and  re- 
turned to  Kentucky. 

His  father,  in  the  meantime,  had  sold  his  farm 
in  Franklin  county  and  moved  to  the  southern 


114  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

part  of  the  State,  into  Christian  county,  which  was 
being  settled  at  that  time.  After  his  return  from 
New  Orleans,  he  spent  some  time  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  his  old  home,  visiting  relatives  and  renew- 
ing old  acquaintances.  Here  he  met  Miss  Lucy 
Davenport,  whom  he  married  Jan.  15,  1820. 
About  this  time  his  only  sister,  Eliza  Major,  mar- 
ried William  Davenport,  a  brother  of  his  wife. 

After  his  marriage  he  went  to  Christian  county, 
and  opened  a  new  farm,  and  soon  made  for  his 
family  a  comfortable  home.  His  father  had 
brought  his  slaves  from  Virginia,  and  when  he 
moved  to  Christian  county,  took  them  with  him. 
Here,  with  the  help  of  his  slaves,  Ben  Major  soon 
had  his  farm  under  cultivation,  and  was  one  of 
the  foremost  business  men  of  the  county. 

About  1827  or  8,  his  health  failed  ;  indeed  his 
health  had  not  been  good  since  leaving  New 
Orleans.  After  trying  many  doctors  with  little  or 
no  success,  he  was  led  to  try  the  Thompsonian 
system,  and  after  much  study  and  successful  treat- 
ment of  himself  he  began  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine, and  continued  it  for  over  three  years  before 
leaving  Kentucky,  and  afterward  in  Illinois,  where 
doctors  were  few,  and  from  eight  to  twenty  miles 
distant.  As  he  was  a  good  nurse  as  well  as  a 
physician,  he  was  often  called  upon  for  his  ser- 
vices, and  there  are  people  in  Eureka  to-day  who 
owe  their  lives  to  his  skill  and  gentle  nursing. 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  115 

He  was  almost  a  physician  without  price,  as  his 
services  were  nearly  always  gratuitous.  If  any  of 
the  neighbors  were  sick,  he  would  leave  his  work 
and  stay  with  them  until  the  danger  was  past. 

From  his  childhood  he  had  serious  doubts  on 
the  slavery  question,  and  with  such  doubts  made 
the  subject  one  continuous  study.  As  he  reached 
mature  years,  these  doubts  were  swept  away,  and 
he  became  convinced  that  the  whole  system  was 
radically  wrong  ;  and  being  a  man  who  acted  upon 
his  own  convictions  of  what  his  particular  duty 
was  to  his  God  and  fellowmen,  he  marked  out  a 
course  and  matured  plans  for  his  own  guidance  ; 
a  course  which  was  at  variance  with  all  his  early 
teachings,  and  antagonistic  to  all  his  family  and 
society  relations. 

But  fully  realizing  his  duty  to  the  dependent 
creatures  under  his  control,  and  the  obligations  he 
owed  to  his  children  fast  gathering  around  him,  he 
never  once  hesitated  (although  at  that  time  it  meant 
almost  financial  ruin),  but  determined  not  only  to 
liberate  and  colonize  his  slaves,  but  at  the  same 
time  to  liberate  himself  and  his  immediate  family 
from  even  a  taint  of  the  curse  of  slavery.  He 
realized  that  his  slaves  were  not  fully  prepared  for 
so  great  a  change,  and  spent  many  months,  even 
years,  in  educating  them  to  the  proper  point ; 
spent  long  evenings  in  reading  to  them  all  avail- 
able matter  that  would  in  any  way  shed  light  on 


116  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

their  darkened  minds.  At  first  they  absolutely 
refused  to  entertain  a  thought  of  freedom  on  any 
grounds.  With  a  kind  and  considerate  master 
and  mistress,  and  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts 
of  which  their  ignorant  minds  could  conceive, 
they  had  no  desire  for  a  change.  But  by  a  care- 
ful and  well-devised  system  of  teaching,  he  finally 
brought  them  to  consider  the  matter  in  the  proper 
light,  and  consent  to  be  colonized  and  become  free 
men  and  women. 

Late  in  the  spring  of  1831,  leaving  all  his  fann- 
ing operations  in  the  care  of  his  trusted  slaves,  he 
started  with  buoyant  spirits,  a  light  heart,  and,  we 
may  add,  a  clear  conscience,  to  find  a  home  in 
some  free  State  ;  and  and  after  a  long  journey 
alone  and  on  horseback,  he  reached  what  is  now 
Woodford  county,  Illinois,  and  found  a  small  set- 
tlement on  the  banks  of  Walnut  Greek. 

This  being  the  spring  after  the  deep  snow,  he 
found  in  June  evidences  of  it  in  the  drifts  along 
the  few  fences.  He  was  well  pleased  with  all  the 
conditions  and  with  the  noble  band  of  men  and 
women  whom  he  found  here.  His  practical  mind 
was  much  impressed  with  the  boundless  prairies 
and  the  grand  forests,  and  with  his  penetrating 
vision  he  saw  in  this  land  great  possibilities  for 
the  future,  where  he  and  his  sons  and  daughters 
might,  by  their  own  exertions  and  toil  make  free 
homes  for  themselves  and  those  that  might  follow. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  117 

Being  now  fully  satisfied  that  he  had  found  that 
for  which  he  sought,  his  mission  in  Illinois  for  the 
present  ended,  he  returned  to  Kentucky,  not  being 
able  or  prepared  to  purchase  or  enter  land.  He 
returned  to  Illinois  in  1833,  and  entered  and  pur- 
chased about  eight  hundred  acres  of  land,  locat- 
ing on  the  east  side  of  the  Grove,  choosing  for  his 
future  home  a  tract  one  half  mile  southeast  of 
where  Eureka  College  now  stands.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Kentucky  to  fully  carry  out  all  his 
plans,  for  which  he  had  been  working  so  long. 
He  could  make  no  arrangements  for  the  transport- 
ation of  his  colored  people  in  1834,  so  they  were 
hired  out  to  other  planters  for  one  year,  the  slaves 
to  receive  their  own  wages. 

In  the  fall  of  1835,  all  things  being  in  readiness, 
he  sent  his  agent  to  New  York  with  the  slaves, 
who  were  taken  in  charge  by  the  American  Colon- 
ization Society  and  sent  to  the  colony  of  Liberia 
Mr.  Major  being  a  life  member  of  the  Society 
and  an  earnest  reader  for  many  years  of  the  Afri- 
can Repository,  its  official  organ.  He  incurred  all 
the  expense  of  sending  the  negroes,  and  furnished 
them  with  clothing,  supplies  and  implements. 
After  reaching  their  new  home,  a  regular  corre- 
spondence was  kept  up,  and  many  welcome  letters 
were  written  and  received,  they  invariably  ad- 
dressing him  as  "  Dear  Father."  Many  of  these 


118  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

treasured  letters  are  still  kept  by  members  of  the 
family  as  sacred  mementos. 

Nothing  had  been  heard  definitely  from  these 
people  since  1858,  when  one  of  the  negroes,  whose 
father  and  mother  had  been  slaves  of  Mr.  Harlan 
and  Mr.  Major,  was  sent  to  this  country  on  official 
business  for  the  colony,  and  while  in  the  United 
States  visited  Eureka  and  spoke  in  the  old  church, 
and  gave  an  account  of  their  manner  of  living,  de- 
scribing their  school  system  and  church  advan- 
tages. 

He  thought  the  prospect  for  the  future  of  Liberia 
was  good.  But  of  late  years  news  has  come  that 
the  native  tribes  have  caused  much  trouble  to  the 
colony. 

In  1827  or  8,  Ben  Major,  who  had  long  been  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  with  many  others 
in  that  part  of  Kentucky  with  like  views,  united 
and  organized  the  Christian  Church  at  Noah 
Springs,  which  was  a  noted  landmark  in  the  early 
days  of  the  A.  Campbell  reformation. 

In  October  of  1834  he  loaded  his  goods  in  wag- 
ons drawn  by  oxen,  and  started  for  the  Illinois 
home.  The  family  at  this  time  numbered  seven 
persons,  Ben  Major  and  wife,  Lucy,  and  five  chil- 
dren, John,  Judith  A.,  William,  Ben  and  Lucy. 
(After  coming  here  they  were  blessed  with  three 
other  children,  Jo,  Ann  Eliza  and  Chastine.)  Mrs. 
Major  with  the  three  youngest  children  rode  in  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  119 

buggy,  the  other  two  children,  fourteen  and  ten 
years  of  age  respectively,  riding  on  horseback. 
Two  of  the  slaves  assisted  with  the  stock  as  far  as 
Carlinville,  111.,  returning  to  Kentucky  from  there. 
And  thus  began  what  would  seem  to  us  a  long, 
tedious  journey.  But  in  after  years  the  trip  be- 
tween Illinois  and  Kentucky  was  often  made, 
before  railroads  were  in  existence. 

The  time  taken  in  moving  out,  some  two  weeks, 
was  enjoyed  by  all,  the  weather  being  delightful. 
Reaching  Walnut  Grove  the  last  day  in  October, 
they,  after  viewing  their  future  home,  went  to  Wil- 
liam Davenport's,  who  had  moved  out  the  spring 
before,  and  had  settled  at  the  head  of  the  Grove. 
It  was  a  joyful  meeting  in  a  new  land,  with  an  un- 
tried future  facing  them. 

After  resting  here  a  few  days,  he  moved  on  his 
own  farm  into  a  house  built  of  logs  and  contain- 
ing two  rooms,  in  which  they  lived  two  years, 
the  time  being  passed  in  opening  up  a  new  farm. 
Prairie  had  to  be  broken  and  fences  made.  While 
there  was  no  clearing  to  be  done,  as  in  Kentucky, 
yet  rails  had  to  be  made,  and  there  being  at  that 
time  excellent  timber,  the  ax  formed  an  important 
factor.  Neighbors  were  far  apart,  but  neighbors 
they  were  in  fact  and  deed.  They  found  such  men 
as  John  Oatman,  Joseph  Henry,  Noel  Meek,  Caleb 
Davidson,  David  Deweese,  Daniel  Travis,  William 


120  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

Davenport  and  Mordecai  Bullock,  with  some 
others. 

In  1835  arid  6,  many  more  came,  prominent 
among  them,  B.  J.  Radford,  Elijah  Dickinson,  E. 
B.  and  A.  M.  Myers  and  Thomas  Bullock,  all  seek- 
ing and  finding  pleasant  homes  in  this  free  land. 

The  planting  of  fruit  trees  of  all  varieties  was 
one  of  their  first  cares,  sending  to  Tennessee  and 
even  as  far  as  Harper's  Ferry,  Ya.,  for  them,  which 
in  a  few  years  yielded  them  abundant  crops. 
Small  fruits  grew  wild  in  great  abundance.  Game 
of  all  kinds  was  plentiful,  and  to  be  had  merely 
for  the  taking. 

After  living  in  the  log  house  for  two  years,  Mr. 
Major  began  the  erection  of  a  frame  house,  which  re- 
quired several  years  for  its  completion.  The  frame 
in  all  its  parts  had  to  be  hewn  in  the  timber,  and 
all  the  lumber  hauled  from  a  saw-mill  on  the  Illi- 
nois River,  more  than  twenty  miles  distant,  but, 
after  completion,  making  a  very  comfortable  and, 
in  those  days,  rather  an  imposing  farm  house. 

Here  he  planted  fruit,  shade  and  ornamental 
trees,  many  of  which  remain.  On  his  arrival  here 
he  found  a  few  members  of  the  Christian  Church, 
and  a  church  organization,  but  weak  in  numbers, 
under  the  care  of  Elder  John  Oatman.  In  1835  it 
was  reorganized,  and  Ben  Major  chosen  as  one  of 
the  elders,  an  office  which  he  retained  until  his 
death.  At  first  the  meetings  were  held  in  the  log 


BIO  GRAPHICAL .  121 

houses  of  the  settlers.  In  warm  weather  the  meet- 
ings were  regularly  held  in  the  barns  of  Uncle 
Caleb  Davidson  and  David  Deweese,  and  in  the 
shady  forest.  Afterward  meetings  were  held  in 
the  school-house  until  the  old  church  was  built, 
on  the  site  of  the  present  cemetery.  This  old 
church  has  been  gone  many  years,  but  around  it, 
for  many  of  the  older  people  of  Eureka,  cling 
many  sweet  memories. 

As  the  children  of  these  early  settlers  grew  up, 
they  one  and  all  realized  the  need  of  a  higher  ed- 
ucation, the  teachers  they  then  employed  not 
being  able  to  instruct  their  pupils  farther  than  the 
"  three  R's."  After  much  thought  and  consulta- 
tion, they  determined  to  make  personal  sacrifices 
and  if  possible  employ  better  teachers. 

Money  was  scarce,  and  how  it  was  accomplished, 
and  how  they  builded  better  than  they  knew,  is 
recorded  in  this  history.  Of  the  many  personal 
sacrifices  made,  only  those  who  made  them  know. 
After  many  unsuccessful  attempts,  they  finally 
procured  the  services  of  A.  S.  Fisher,  and  the 
foundation-stone  of  Eureka  College  was  laid. 

Though  death  claimed  Ben  Major  in  the  prime 
of  his  useful  manhood,  he  yet  lived  to  see  the  be- 
ginning of  his  fondest  hopes  realized.  In  the 
spring  of  1852,  his  brother-in-law,  William  Dav- 
enport, while  in  St.  Louis,  came  in  contact  with 
some  cases  of  cholera,  and  after  returning  home 


122  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

was  taken  sick,  but  recovered,  no  one  supposing  at 
that  time  that  cholera  was  in  our  midst. 

His  wife, Mr.  Major's  sister,  was  the  next  victim. 
They  sent  hastily  for  her  brother.  The  family 
were  at  breakfast  when  the  messenger  arrived,  and 
without  a  thought  for  himself,  leaving  the  meal 
untasted,  he  hastened  to  his  sister's  side,  there  to 
remain  until  death  released  her  from  her  suffering. 

All  then  knew  that  the  dread  epidemic  had 
gained  a  firm  foothold.  Returning  home  accom- 
panied by  his  nephew,  Joseph  Davenport,  both 
were  taken  ill.  From  the  first  Mr.  Major  seemed 
to  realize  that  his  case  was  a  hopeless  one,  and 
showed  great  presence  of  mind  and  unselfish  devo- 
tion to  others  in  directing  their  treatment.  So, 
heroically  and  without  complaint,  he  breathed  his 
last.  Joseph  Davenport  survived  him  only  a  few 
hours.  Another  nephew,  John  Davenport,  also 
died,  making  four  deaths  in  so  short  a  time. 

These  were  indeed  sad  times  for  the  bereaved 
families.  Many  were  the  kind  offices  rendered. 
The  loving  sympathy  of  the  entire  community  was 
tendered  the  saddened  families,  all  feeling  keenly 
the  loss  of  a  dear  and  tried  friend.  Departing 
this  life  with  so  many  of  his  Christian  plans  only 
fairly  begun,  yet  he  died  in  the  firm,  unshaken 
faith  that  his  many  co-workers  would  complete  the 
work  which  they  had  so  auspiciously  begun. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  123 

ELIJAH   DICKINSON. 

Elijah  Dickinson,  son  of  Richard  and  Ann 
(Quarles)  Dickinson,  was  born  Jan.  26,  1795,  in 
Spottsylvania  county,  Virginia.  He  was  of  Scotch- 
English  descent. 

In  1814,  during  the  war  of  1812,  he  joined  a  vol- 
unteer cavalry  company  and  served  till  the  close 
of  the  war. 

He  came  to  Christian  county,  Kentucky,  about 
the  year  1817.  Here  he  was  married  October  6, 
1819,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Burrus,  and  in  June  1821, 
they  united  with  the  Baptist  Church.  A  few  years 
later  the  preaching  of  the  primitive  gospel  was 
begun  in  that  community  by  some  of  our  pioneer 
Disciple  preachers.  He  heard  it  frankly,  and 
in  1831,  with  nineteen  others,  left  the  Baptist 
Church  and  united  in  organizing  a  Christian 
Church,  of  which  he  was  made  an  elder. 

In  the  fall  of  1835  he  removed  with  his  wife 
and  six  children — J.  Quarles,  Cynthia  M.,  CeliaB., 
M.  Elizabeth,  Elmira  J.,  and  Elijah  W. — to  Walnut 
Grove,  Illinois.  Here  two  sons  were  added  to  his 
family,  Charles  R.  and  Roger  B.  A  church  of 
Disciples  had  been  organized  here  several  years 
before.  In  1837  he  was  made  one  of  the  elders, 
and  was  kept  in  that  office  the  remainder  of  his 
life. 

In  his  early  life  schools  were  few  and  inferior 


124  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

about  his  boyhood  home,  and  his  opportunities  for 
that  kind  of  education  were  very  limited  in- 
deed. But  he  was  a  thoughtful  man,  a  diligent 
reader,  a  close  observer,  and  a  good  judge  of 
human  nature,  and  so  gathered  much  general  in- 
formation. He  was  a  staunch  friend  and  promoter 
of  thorough  education  and  labored  earnestly  for 
the  upbuilding  of  Walnut  Grove  Academy  and 
Eureka  College. 

Was  elected  one  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Academy  at  its  organization  in  1850.  After  the 
death  of  President  Ben  Major,  in  1852,  he  was 
elected  President  of  the  Board,  and  so  continued 
till  his  death. 

During  his  early  manhood  he  was  a  carpenter, 
but  after  his  marriage  he  chose  farming  as  his  oc- 
cupation, and  continued  in  it  first  in  Kentucky, 
then  in  Illinois.  He  peacefully  fell  asleep,  July 
28, 1862,  at  his  old  homestead  one  and  a  half  miles 
southwest  of  the  college,  and  his  body  reposes  in 
Eureka  Cemetery. 

ALBERT  G.  EWING. 

A.  G.  Ewing  was  born  in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Feb. 
28th,  1804.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Scotland. 
It  was  a  tradition  in  his  father's  family  that  their 
ancestors  were  of  the  same  family  as  that  most 
famous  of  Scottish  heroes,  Sir  William  Wallace. 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  125 

His  parents  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Nashville.  His  father  gave  his  six  sons  the  best 
opportunities  in  the  way  of  education  that  that  day 
afforded,  and  they  all  became  prominent  men  in  a 
worldly  way  except  Albert,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  ;  his  life  was  even  more  energetic  and  earn- 
est than  theirs,  but  his  chief  ambition  was  to  serve 
his  God  and  save  his  fellowmen.  He  graduated 
in  Cumberland  College  when  only  sixteen  years 
old.  Was  a  good  Greek  scholar,  and  throughout 
his  life  his  Greek  Bible  was  nearly  as  often  in  his 
hand  as  his  well-worn  English  Bible.  Gen.  Jack- 
son's name  is  appended  to  his  diploma  as  on^  of 
the  college  trustees.  The  noted  General  was 
known  and  admired  by  ihe  youthful  student.  Soon 
after  Albert  graduated,  he  was  honored  by  a  part- 
nership with  the  then  celebrated  Dr.  Rush  in  a 
drug-store  ;  he  gained  a  good  knowledge  of  medi- 
cine at  this  time  Alexander  Campbell  preached 
in  Nashville  when  Albert  was  nineteen,  and  his 
parents  and  himself  were  among  the  first  converts 
Campbell  made  there.  The  reformer  and  his 
young  convert  loved  each  other.  Albert  gave  up 
fine  prospects  of  earthly  honor  and  riches  and  fol- 
lowed the  then  persecuted  Campbell  to  Bethany, 
became  a  student  under  him,  traveled  with  him  on 
some  of  his  extensive  preaching  tours,  and  finally 
married  Campbell's  eldest  daughter.  She  died 


126  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

young,  like  all  of  Campbell's  first  family  of  gifted 
and  beautiful  daughters. 

In  1837  Mr.  Ewing  married  Miss  Mary  J.  Mar- 
silliot  of  Wheeling,  Ya.,  and  removed  to  a  farm 
on  the  Ohio  River  near  the  village  of  Clarington. 
She  outlived  him  fifteen  years.  Farming  and  the 
building  and  managing  of  a  large  steam  flouring 
arid  saw-mill  enabled  him  to  give  employment  to 
a  number  of  men.  He  chose  this  river  locality  for 
his  home,  because  religious  and  educational  work 
was  sadly  needed  there.  During  the  twenty  years 
of  his  life  there  all  that  he  had  and  was,  was  freely 
given  to  educate  and  Christianize  the  people.  He 
met  with  opposition  and  persecution  for  a  time,  but 
also  had  good  success,  and  came  to  be  much  be- 
loved. He  preached,  made  converts  and  organized 
churches  in  a  number  of  places,  built  the  church 
house  for  his  home  church  with  very  little  aid,  and 
was  its  pastor  for  sixteen  years.  He  made  the 
same  mistake  others  of  our  pioneer  preachers 
made,  he  required  too  little  of  others  arid  caused 
them  to  depend  too  much  on  him.  Finally  his 
health  failed  and  he  was  crippled  financially. 
He  brought  his  family  to  Eureka,  111.,  in  1858. 
Although  broken  in  health  and  mental  power  by 
a  long  illness  occurring  shortly  before  his  coming 
West,  his  life  in  his  new  home  was  not  useless ; 
he  soon  became  a  working  elder  in  the  church. 
His  active  eldership  in  Ohio  and  Illinois  covered 


JOHN  DAKST. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  127 

a  period  of  forty  years.  He  was  a  trustee  of 
Bethany  College  for  a  number  of  years  before  he 
came  to  Illinois.  He  was  President  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  of  Eureka  College  for  eleven  years 
before  his  death,  and  was  deeply  interested  in  its 
welfare. 

President  Everest  once  said  of  him,  that  of 
all  men  he  had  come  in  contact  with,  he  had  the 
least  admixture  of  selfishness.  The  good  of  The 
Cause  was  always  first  with  him.  Another  who 
knew  him  well  said,  when  notified  of  his  death, 
"  If  ever  the  words  which  Christ  applied  to 
Nathanael  applied  to  any  other  man  they  did  to 
A.  G.  Ewing.  He  was  an  Israelite  indeed  in  whom 
there  was  no  guile."  He  fell  asleep  on  August 
28th,  1873,  at  his  home  in  Eureka,  Illinois. 

JOHN   DAKST. 

John  Darst  was  born  November  6, 1816,  in  Greene 
county,  Ohio.  Both  of  his  grandfathers  came 
from  Germany.  His  boyhood  and  youth  were 
characteristic  of  that  early  pioneer  life.  He  learn- 
ed to  read  and  write,  went  as  far  into  practical 
arithmetic  as  his  teacher's  limited  knowledge 
would  take  him,  and  barely  tasted  grammar. 

Ruhamah  Moler  became  his  wife,  November  22, 
1838.  She  shared  the  hardships  of  those  early 
times,  assisted  heartily  in  carrying  out  the  plans 


128  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

to  better  the  condition  of  their  family,  and  has  co- 
operated fully  in  all  his  efforts  for  the  church  and 
college.  The  support  of  a  devoted  wife,  man's 
greatest  earthly  stay,  he  has  never  lacked.  She  is 
now  the  quiet,  home-keeping,  home-loving  com- 
panion of  his  old  age.  Their  golden  wedding,  No- 
vember 22,  1888,  brought  to  their  home  forty- three 
children  and  grand-children.  Three  others  could 
not  be  present.  In  the  company  were  nine  sons 
(one,  John  W.,  having  died  at  18)  and  their  only 
daughter.  Their  children  honor  them  while  living 
and  will  revere  their  memory  after  they  shall  have 
passed  on  to  the  other  shore. 

For  thirteen  years  Mr.  Darst  continued  his  farm 
life  in  Ohio.  He  attempted  to  raise  the  standard 
of  education  at  his  birthplace  in  the  interest  of  his 
children.  For  them  he  wished  to  secure  a  better 
education  than  he  had  received.  The  old  ideas 
were  too  firmly  established,  however,  to  be  uproot- 
ed. About  this  time  he  learned  that  the  newer 
west  offered  special  inducements  to  the  farmer. 
Influenced  by  the  hope  of  obtaining  better  educa- 
tional and  material  advantages,  he  removed  his 
family  to  Eureka,  Illinois,  September,  1851.  For 
more  than  thirty  years  he  continued  to  farm  exten- 
sively and  successfully  at  this  place.  He  was  also 
interested  in  milling  for  some  years.  In  1882  he 
became  president  of  the  Farmers'  Bank,  which  had 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  129 

just  been  organized.  In  business  his  career  has 
been  long,  prosperous  and  honorable. 

He  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  community  in  which  he  resided. 
In  1856  he  laid  out  the  town  of  Eureka.  His  fellow 
citizens  have  shown  their  appreciation  of  his  pub- 
lic spirit  by  calling  him  frequently  to  serve  their 
interests  in  local  offices.  While  a  young  man  he 
recognized  the  evils  of  the  drink  habit.  Ever  since 
he  has  been  its  foe,  and  is  now  a  party  prohibition- 
ist. During  our  National  struggle  he  was  an  abo- 
litionist and  had  five  sons  in  the  Union  army.  His 
political  action  is  governed  by  the  sole  considera- 
ation  of  right.  He  allies  himself  with  those  who 
stand  for  moral  issues  and  breaks  all  party  ties 
which  interfere  with  this  most  worthy  exercise  of 
Christian  citizenship. 

In  early  life  Mr.  Darst  became  a  Baptist,  but 
soon  united  with  the  Disciples  of  Christ,  among 
whom  he  has  held  official  positions  to  his  credit 
and  to  their  advantage  for  nearly  half  a  century. 
He  first  served  the  church  as  deacon,  but  for  many 
years  he  has  been  an  elder,  and  faithful  to  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  congregation.. 

On  arriving  at  Walnut  Grove,  now  Eureka,  he 
found  that  kindred  spirits  had  already  established 
an  academy.  He  identified  himself  at  once  with 
the  enterprise.  Eureka  College  was  chartered  in 
1855,  and  at  the  first  business  meeting  he  was 

9 


130  HIS  TOBY  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE. 

elected  a  trustee.  He  acted  in  that  capacity  until 
1873,  when  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Evving.  This  office 
he  has  since  filled  continuously.  He  has  had  a 
leading  part  in  the  erection  of  the  college  build- 
ings, which  the  prosperity  of  the  college  made 
needful.  To  superintend  their  construction  he  has 
taken  the  time  from  his  private  business.  For 
many  years  he  always  looked  after  the  gratuitous 
work  necessary  in  caring  for  the  college  property. 
His  interest,  his  energy  and  good  business  judg- 
ment have  naturally  given  him  a  prominent  place 
in  the  management  of  college  affairs.  It  is  a  pleas- 
ure to  add  that  other  members  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  show  a  willingness  to  relieve  him  of  lab- 
ors which  are  too  onerous  for  the  growing  infirmi- 
ties of  age. 

I  Mr.  Darst  has  made  it  the  rule  of  his  life  to  put 
a  large  share  of  his  earnings  into  the  college  funds. 
He  prefers  to  see  his  money  do  good  while  he 
lives.  All  who  know  the  facts  must  freely  ac- 
knowledge that  without  his  co-operation  and 
financial  support  the  college  work  would  have  been 
most^seriously  crippled.  Brief  mention  of  some  of 
his  characteristic  acts  may  provoke  others  to  more 
liberally  support  a  worthy  cause.  It  is  also  prop- 
er, too,  that  the  facts  be  recorded  before  they  are 
forgotten,  that  he  may  receive  honor  while  he  lives. 
Lovers  of  Christian  education  can  also  better  ap- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  131 

predate  how  much  their  cause  is  indebted  to  this 
faithful  friend.  When  the  college  was  young,  it 
was  difficult  to  secure  money  for  buildings,  without 
which  the  work  could  not  go  on.  Plans  were  made 
for  the  recitation  building  and  pledges  obtained  to 
meet  the  expense.  Financial  distress  became  so 
great  that  many  subscribers  could  not  pay  their 
pledges.  Mr.  Darst  and  William  Davenport  gave 
their  note  for  the  college  debt,  and  mortgaged  their 
property  to  secure  its  payment.  Depression  in 
money  matters  continued  and  the  note  fell  due.  A 
new  note  had  to  be  given.  For  good  reasons  Mr. 
Davenport  asked  to  be  released  from  taking  up 
the  burden  anew.  Mr.  Darst  then  bought  more 
land  that  he  might  properly  secure  a  new  note,and 
mortgaged  all  he  had,  even  the  home  of  his  fami- 
ly, to  assume  alone  the  payment  of  the  entire  col- 
lege debt.  As  an  illustration  of  his  faith  in  God 
and  his  love  of  the  cause,  his  conduct  on  this  oc- 
casion will  serve.  He  went  to  the  harvest  field  and 
told  his  sons  what  he  had  done,  and  added :  "If 
we  can  save  this  crop  and  have  another  good  one 
next  year,  we  will  be  able,  I  think,  to  save  our 
home."  One  dollar  was  harder  to  get  then  than 
five  are  now.  His  first  donation  to  educational  in- 
terests in  Eureka  was  $250,  in  1852.  His  largest 
at  any  one  time  has  been  $6,000.  His  larger  con- 
tributions aggregate  not  less  than  $25,000.  Be- 
sides these  he  always  responds  to  minor  calls. 


132  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

Recently  he  has  given  liberally  to  the  select  li- 
brary for  the  Biblical  department,  and  has  prom- 
ised twice  the  amount  to  the  general  library  of  the 
college.  In  a  recent  letter  he  speaks  of  his  work 
in  the  following  words :  "I  wish  now  I  had  kept  an 
account  of  what  I  have  done,  but  not  caring  wheth- 
er other  men  knew  or  not,  I  knew  the  Lord  knew 
how  much  and  the  motive  with  which  it  was  given. 
This  I  could  not  have  done  without  the  co-operation 
of  my  wife  and  children.  And  if  I  could,  I  would 
not  take  one  dollar  of  it  back."  No  additional 
words  could  emphasize  the  faithful  consecration  of 
this  man  and  his  family  to  the  interests  of  Eureka 
college.  Disciples  of  Illinois,  Mr.  Darst's  sons 
were  kept  from  college  privileges  to  pay  off  a  col- 
lege debt,  and  thus  provide  for  your  children  the 
advantages  which  Eureka  College  affords.  Will 
not  this  persuade  you  of  your  abundance  to  give 
liberally  to  endow  a  work  which  is  so  full  of  prom- 
ise, if  well  equipped  ? 

Finally,  it  remains  to  speak  of  Mr.  Darst's  in- 
terest in  young  men  preparing  for  the  ministry. 
Their  work  and  worth  lie  nearest  his  heart.  Often 
he  gave  them  board,  furnished  them  horses  to  carry 
them  to  their  appointments,  loaned  them  money, 
attended  regularly  their  devotional  meetings  until 
age  prevented  his  going,  and  talked  to  them  plain- 
ly about  their  life  and  work.  He  wished  them  to 
have  a  proper  conception  of  the  ministry  of  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  133 

Gospel.  There  are  many  who  have  reason  to  re- 
member his  wise  counsel,  and  some  for  personal 
reasons,  too,  recall  with  gratitude  the  Scripture, 
"Faithful  are  the  wounds  of  a  friend."  Of  his 
helpfulness  the  following  is  a  good  example  :  B. 
B.  Tyler,  of  New  York,  early  in  the  sixties  devoted 
part  of  his  time  to  business,  to  obtain  a  support  for 
his  family.  His  Sunday  services  were  full  of 
promise.  Seeing  this  Mr.  Darst  "persuaded  him 
to  relinquish  his  business  engagements  and  devote 
his  energies  to  the  saving  of  souls,  stipulating  to 
supply  all  necessary  funds  to  support  him  in  the 
work."  Of  this  offer  Mr.  Tyler  says  :  "I  want  the 
world  to  know  that  John  Darst  did  this  for  me  and 
for  the  Church  of  Christ.  If  I  have  been  worth 
anything  to  the  world,  let  this  grand,  good  man, 
still  living,  have  the  honor  that  belongs  to  him." 

Such,  in  mere  outline,  is  the  life  of  this  plain, 
earnest,  self-sacrificing,  unassuming  Christian 
man.  The  world  is  always  better  because  of  such 
lives. 


CHAPTER  II. 

TE 'AC HERS   FROM  1848    TO  1860. 

A.  S.  Fisher — Sue  Jones  Grant — John  Lindsey — Sarah  Fisher 
Conover — Caroline  Neville  Pearre — Elmira  J.  Dickinson—  O. 
A.  Burgess — R.  A.  Conover — C.  L.  Loos— George  Callender — 
J.  M.  Allen — B.  W.  Johnson — Richard  H.  Johnson — J.  H. 
Rowell — Mary  Clark  Hawk. 

A.    S.    FISHER. 

Asa  S.  Fisher  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio, 
December  10,  1824.  In  1829  his  parents  moved  to 
Illinois,  locating  in  Tazewell  county.  There  he 
lived  with  his  parents  until  the  winter  of  1842, 
assisting  his  father  on  the  farm  and  attending  the 
crude  schools  of  the  locality  during  the  winters. 
In  September,  1843,  he  entered  Tremont  Academy, 
where  he  remained  till  the  following  March.  In 
1844  he  entered  the  Preparatory  Department  of 
Knox  College,  Illinois.  In  August,  1845,  he  re- 
moved to  Marshall  county,  and  was  there  engaged 
as  a  school  teacher  until  July,  1847.  In  the  fall 
of  1847  he  entered  Bethany  College,  returning  to 

Illinois  in  July,  1848. 

(134) 


A.  S.  FISHER. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  135 

In  September,  1848,  he  commenced  the  school  in 
Walnut  Grove  that  developed.into  Eureka  College. 
He  was  a  constant  and  zealous  promoter  of  the  in- 
stitution for  thirty-eight  years  of  his  eventful  life. 

In  1866  he  reluctantly  withdrew  from  the  col- 
lege, conscious  of  having  aided,  to  the  extent  of 
his  ability,  in  the  establishment  of  an  efficient 
literary  auxiliary  to  the  Christian  Church,  leav- 
ing its  future  to  the  management  of  younger 
men. 

During  his  connection  with  the  institution 
thousands  of  young  men  had  been  received  under 
its  fostering  care,  and  had  there  received  a  liter- 
ary training  and  development,  making  them  valu- 
able citizens  in  their  respective  localities.  They 
had  gone  forth  and  were  to  be  found  in  the  valleys, 
on  the  plateaus,  the  hill-tops  and  mountain- sides 
of  our  vast  western  domain.  They  had  penetrated 
the  western  mountains,  had  looked  out  upon  the 
great  ocean  and  visited  the  iskmds  of  the  sea. 
They  were  cultivators  of  the  soil,  watchmen  on 
the  towers  of  Zion,  active  agents  in  legislative 
halls  and  fearless  defenders  of  their  country's 
honor;  college  professors  and  presidents,  popular 
political  orators,  eminent  at  the  bar,  drawing 
lecturers  and  profound  jurists. 

Educators,'  like  poets,  are  born,  not  made.  Mr. 
Fisher  was  a  born  educator,  and  early  in  life  set 
about  fitting  himself  for  that,  his  chosen  life-  work, 


136  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

as  best  he  could  with  the  advantages  within  his 
reach.  It  was  in  the  pioneer  days  when  times  are 
always  hard  and  money  always  scarce  and  schools 
nearly  always  poor. 

But  as  the  country  developed  advantages  im- 
proved. The  young  man  went  to  college,  stead- 
fast in  pursuit  of  his  purpose,  not  knowing,  but 
often  wondering,  where  his  field  of  labor  during 
life  was  to  be. 

Meanwhile,  among  the  enterprising  citizens  of 
Walnut  Grove,  the  spirit  of  education  was  becom- 
ing more  and  more  rife,  and  they  were  wondering 
how,  in  their  poverty,  they  could  ever  educate  their 
children.  Under  the  leadership  of  Elder  Ben 
Major  they  discussed  over  and  over  again  the 
building  up  of  a  seminary  or  academy  for  the 
higher  education  of  their  sons  and  daughters, 
than  the  irregular,  inefficient  subscription  schools 
of  the  time  afforded ;  but  where  the  man  and 
whence  the  money  for  this  work,  were  the  ever-re- 
curring and  ever  unanswered  questions  that  con- 
fronted them. 

But  during  the  session  that  Mr.  Fisher  attended 
Bethany  College,  a  nephew  of  Mr.  Major's  was 
also  there,  Mr.  J.  M.  Major  of  Bloomington,  111.  To 
him  Elder  Major  wrote  asking  if  there  was  not 
among  the  students  there  some  one  who  was  fitted 
for,  and  willing  to  undertake  such  a  work  as  was 
wanted  here  ;  and  the  gladsome  answer  came  back 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  137 

highly  commending  "  a  Mr.  A.  S.  Fisher  from  near 
Tremont "  for  the  position.  The  result  was,  in 
August  he  came  on  for  a  conference  with  some  of 
the  leading  men  in  the  community,  and  early  in 
September,  1848,  the  school  opened  in  the  little 
frame  schoolhouse,  and  lo,  Eureka  College  was 
begun;  though  not  one  of  those  devoted  souls 
dreamed  how  well  they  were  building,  nor  where- 
unto  their  work  would  grow. 

The  coming  of  the  "new  teacher,"  fresh  from 
college,  was  a  notable  event  in  our  quiet,  country 
neighborhood.  We  were  not  used  to  college  men 
then,  had  scarcely  ever  seen  one.  This  young 
man  was  tall,  fair,  beardless,  bashful,  and  looked 
much  younger  than  he  really  was.  But  the  fire  of 
a  noble  purpose  burned  bright  in  his  soul  and 
gleamed  forth  from  his  eye.  Character  was 
stamped  on  his  mien.  He  had  a  work  to  do  and 
he  meant  to  do  it,  was  the  language  of  his  actions. 
And  so  he  went  into  his  little  school  of  children 
and  half-grown  boys  and  girls,  resolute  to  do  his 
part  in  making  of  it  a  school  of  higher  grade. 

He  boarded  in  the  home  of  Elder  Major.  A 
warm  friendship  grew  up  between  them,  as,  con- 
genial in  spirit,  they  counseled  and  planned  and 
worked  for  the  realization  of  their  common  hopes. 
The  school  enterprise  proved  eminently  successful, 
and  before  the  session  of  ten  months  closed  it  was 
so  well  reported  of  in  the  surrounding  counties 


138  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

that  a  goodly  number  of  young  men  and  young 
women  were  arranging  to  enter  it  at  the  beginning 
of  the  second  session,  in  September,  1849.  All 
this  led  to  its  organization,  during  vacation,  as 
Walnut  Grove  Seminary. 

During  that  summer,  Mr.  Fisher  took  an  im- 
portant social  step.  The  bachelor  became  a 
benedict.  Several  years  before,  while  teaching  in 
Marshall  county,  he  had  met  Miss  Susan  S.  Pal- 
mer, daughter  of  Elder  Henry  D.  Palmer,  a  prom- 
inent preacher  of  the  Gospel,  and  July  25th  they 
were  married,  thereby  a  real  help-mate  being 
gained.  With  their  limited  means  a  house  was 
built  near  the  school,  and  they  kept  boarders  at 
$1.25  a  week,  fuel  and  lights  included.  This  was 
at  a  time  when  there  was  no  store  of  any  kind, 
nor  butcher-shop  nor  post-office  nearer  than 
Washington,  eight  miles  away. 

The  school,  as  seminary,  academy  and  college 
continued  to  grow,  though  with  varied  experiences, 
adverse  and  prosperous,  arid  many  changes  of 
teachers  were  made ;  but  Prof.  Fisher  stood  un- 
flinchingly by  it  through  times  of  sorest  trial  as 
firmly  as  through  most  prosperous  seasons.  It 
never  had  a  truer,  more  devoted  friend  than  he. 
He  never  had  much  money  to  give,  but  he  gave 
freely  in  proportion  to  his  means  ;  and  gave  with- 
out reserve  the  mental  and  physical  strength  of 
his  early  and  mature  manhood,  toiling  in  and  for 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  139 

it  through  periods  of  financial  stress  ;  through  the 
straits  of  the  civil  war,  when  it  almost  had  to  sus- 
pend;  through  perils  within  and  perils  without. 
In  course  of  time  he  became  overwhelmed  in 
financial  reverses  and  these  seriously  involved  his 
relations  with  officials  in  the  college  management, 
and  led  to  his  separation  from  the  college,  and  his 
going  to  Kansas  City,  where  he  now  resides. 

MRS.  SUE   E.  GRANT. 

Susan  E.  Jones  was  born  near  Jacksonville,  111., 
April  4,  1832.  She  was  the  oldest  daughter  of 
Elder  John  T.  Jones  and  Emily  Woodward,  his 
wife.  She  was  educated  at  Jacksonville  Female 
Academy,  the  oldest  ladies'  school  in  the  State, 
arid  began  teaching  in  1847. 

Prof.  Fisher  says  in  a  recent  letter  to  Mrs. 
Grant,  "  You  conducted  the  first  school  in  the 
series  that  developed  into  Eureka  College,  and 
well  do  I  remember  who  assisted  me  during  my 
second  year  in  Walnut  Grove." 

Four  years  later  she  accepted  a  position  in 
Christian  College,  Columbia,  Mo.,  then  in  the 
efficient  hands  of  Pres.  John  Augustus  Williams 
of  Kentucky. 

In  1852  she  was  married  to  Prof.  Robert  A. 
Grant,  of  Boone  county,  Mo.,  and  removed  to  Can- 


140  HIS TOE Y  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

ton,  Mo.,  where  she  was  present  at  the  laying  of 
the  corner-stone  of  Christian  University  in  1853. 

For  several  years  she  was  principal  of  the  De 
Soto  Young  Ladies'  Institute  at  this  place,  and  her 
husband  continued  teaching  in  Christian  Univer- 
sity until  1875.  when  they  removed  to  Woodland, 
Cal. 

On  account  of  financial  reverses,  Mrs.  Grant  re- 
entered  the  school-room  after  reaching  California, 
and  taught  for  some  nine  years.  During  this  time 
she  served  for  some  time  as  the  President  of  the 
California  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  after- 
ward as  President  of  the  Christian  Woman's 
Board  of  Missions  of  California,  when  the  Home 
Mission  became  merged  in  the  National  organiza- 
tion. 

In  every  emergency  of  life,  Mrs.  Grant  has 
proved  a  woman  of  unusual  force  of  character,  re- 
markable intelligence,  and  exceptional  energy, 
cheerfulness  and  courage. 

"  The  heart  of  her  husband  doth  safely  trust  in 
her,"  and  her  children  may  well  "  rise  up  and  call 
her  blessed."  The  latter  are  all  educated  Chris- 
tian young  men  and  women,  acting  well  their  part 
in  life's  arena. 

Thus  loved  and  honored  by  the  community  in 
which  she  lives,  her  family,  church  and  friends, 
may  she  spend  a  serene  old  age,  until  she  is 
called  up  higher  to  enjoy  the  broader  opportuni- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  141 

ties,  the  higher  ideals,  the  nobler  affections,  the 
grander  motives  of  the  future,  Just  Beyond. 

ELDER   JOHN    LINDSEY. 

Elder  John  Lindsey  was  born  in  Christian  coun- 
ty, Kentucky,  June  15,  1821.  Was  of  Scotch  de- 
scent. His  father,  Elder  James  A.  Lindsey,  was 
for  many  years  a  Baptist  preacher,  but  in  the  year 
1827  he  with  his  church  took  his  stand  with  the 
Reformation  with  no  name  but  that  given  in  the 
New  Testament  and  no  creed  but  Christ.  He  mov- 
ed with  his  family  to  Tazewell  county,  Illinois,  in 
1834. 

He  obeyed  the  Gospel  at  fifteen  years  of  age, 
and  began  preaching  at  eighteen,  receiving  many 
into  the  church.  He  was  a  strong  temperance 
man,  ajid  came  near  being  excluded  from  the 
church  in  1841  for  delivering  a  temperance  lecture, 
signing  the  pledge,  and  inducing  others  to  do  so. 
About  1843  he  visited  Kentucky  with  Dr.  G.  P. 
Young,  and  while  there  was  chosen  by  the  Dis- 
ciples of  that  State  to  receive  the  education  given 
by  Bethany  College  to  the  State.  He  entered 
college  in  the  fall  of  1844  and  graduated  in  1848. 
Spent  his  vacations  preaching  in  Virginia,  Penn- 
sylvania and  Ohio,  averaging  over  one  hundred 
additions  each  year.  Returning  to  Illinois  in  the 
fall  of  '48,  he  was  made  district  evangelist  with 
Elder  John  T.  Jones. 


142  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

Was  married  to  Maria  K.  Mason,  sister  of  Prof. 
Mason,  of  Bethany  College,  in  1850 ;  located  in 
Walnut  Grove,  and  with  Jo'hn  T.  Jones  and  Wm. 
Davenport  began  soliciting  means  to  build  Walnut 
Grove  Academy,  which  was  soon  erected,  and  be- 
gan teaching  there  September  of  the  same  year, 
with  Prof.  A.  S.  Fisher.-  In  1852,  his  wife's  health 
failing,  he  resigned  as  teacher  to  travel  with  her, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  raise  means  to  build  what 
is  now  known  as  "  Gentlemen's  Hall,  No.  2."  He 
afterwards  located  at  Washington,  111.,  with  the 
little  church  of  30  members,  which  grew  to  145 
during  his  stay  there.  Early  in  1855  he  and  Elder 
Wm.  Davenport  spent  two  weeks  in  Springfield 
at  their  own  expense  to  obtain  the  charter  for 
Eureka  College,  the  loss  of  time  from  his  church 
in  Washington  being  deducted  from  his  salary 
of  $600.  He  was  one  of  the  committee  of  three 
to  name  the  town.  He  reported  "Eureka,"  and 
Elder  J.  T.  Jones  "  Althea." 

When  Alexander  Campbell  canvassed  the  State 
for  endowment  for  Bethany  College  Mr.  Lindsey 
traveled  with  him.  Mr.  Campbell  being  indis- 
posed much  of  the  time,  Mr.  Lindsey  filled  his 
appointments. 

He  held  a  successful  debate  at  Metamora  with 
Mr.  Davis  (Universalist),  and  one  at  Lincoln  with 
Mr.  Luckock  (Methodist). 

Later  he  moved  to  Peoria,  and  while  there  he 


BIO  GBAPHICAL .  143 

married  Miss  Frank  Redding  of  that  city.  Also 
organized  the  church  there  with  seventeen  mem- 
bers, and  ministered  to  it ;  taught  school  for  a 
support;  secured  a  lot  and  built  a  small  house 
of  worship,  and  increased  the  membership  to 
sixty-five.  Left  it  in  care  of  I.  N.  Carman  at 
a  salary  of  $600,  he  and  O.  A.  Burgess  each 
paying  $150  of  that. 

He  was  then  elected  a  professor  of  Abingdon 
College,  but  on  conferring  with  the  Board  of 
Trustees  his  work  was  changed  to  that  of  financial 
agent,  and  in  one  year  he  raised  six  thousand  of 
the  nine  thousand  dollars  indebtedness,  and  nine 
thousand  dollars  endowment. 

On  Oct.  12,  1858,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Martha 
M.  Davidson,  of  Walnut  Grove,  and  then  located 
in  Atlanta.  Soon  the  State  Board  sent  him  to 
liquidate  the  debt  on  the  house  of  worship  in 
Quincy,  which  he  did  in  one  month's  time.  He 
was  elected  President  of  the  college  at  Mon- 
mouth,  Ore.,  in  1858,  but  declined,  and  accepted 
a  call  to  the  church  at  Palmyra,  Mo.  While 
there  was  elected  President  of  the  college  at  Kirks- 
ville,  Mo.,  but  declined,  preferring  to  preach. 
Somewhat  later  he  returned  to  Eureka,  and  at 
the  close  of  the  war  took  charge  of  the  church  at 
Duquoin,  and  while  there  was  elected  about  the 
same  time  President  of  Carbondale  College,  111., 
and  President  of  Princeton  College,  Ky.  He  ac- 


144  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

cepted  the  latter,  and  recommending  Clark  Braden 
for  the  former,  began  the  arduous  labor  of  build- 
ing up  a  school  in  his  native  State  just  after  the 
ravages  of  the  Civil  War,  and  used  this  oppor- 
tunity given  to  show  his  high  appreciation  of  the 
favor  Kentucky  had  conferred  on  him.  The  school 
opened  with  seventeen  and  closed  with  ninety- 
seven.  He  taught  through  the  week  and  traveled 
on  horseback  from  Friday  till  Monday,  preaching 
and  soliciting  money  and  students.  By  the  end 
of  the  second  year  his  health  was  so  impaired 
that  he  resigned,  leaving  the  school  in  good  con- 
dition. He  then  took  charge  of  the  church  at  St. 
Joseph,  Mo.,  where  his  labors  were  crowned  with 
great  success  in  additions  to  the  church  and  in 
work  at  mission  points.  But  the  work  was  too 
arduous,  and  before  the  end  of  the  third  year  his 
disease,  which  proved  to  be  a  growth  around  the 
heart,  became  so  serious  that,  on  the  advice  of  his 
physicians  to  abandon  his  pastoral  work,  he  again 
returned  to  Eureka  in  the  winter  of  1873.  But  his 
rest  was  short.  He  could  not  resist  the  many 
calls  to  hold  meetings,  and  was  very  successful. 
Had  more  than  150  additions  in  one  at  Mackinaw. 
He  traveled  one  year  as  State  Evangelist.  The 
remainder  of  his  life  was  spent  preaching  for 
different  churches.  His  last  sermon  was  at  Twin 
Grove,  McLean  Co.,  July  3, 1887,  on  The  Resurrec- 
tion. He  was  then  barely  able  to  stand.  His 


1  Susan  Jones  Grant.  3    Sarah  Fisher  Conover. 

2  ElmiraJ.  Dickinson.  4    Mary  Clark  Hawk. 

5    Caroline  Neville  Pearre 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  145 

disease  had  gradually  progressed,  and  on  the 
morning  of  Oct.  15,  1887,  the  weary  spirit  passed 
to  its  heavenly  rest.  "Blessed  are  the  dead  that 
die  in  the  Lord." 

SARAH   FISHER   CONOVER. 

Sarah  Fisher  was  born  nearTremont,in  Tazewell 
county,  Illinois,  December  17,  1833.  Entered  Wal- 
nut Grove  Academy  in  its  third  year,  September, 
1850,  and  attended  its  sessions  three  years.  Taught 
one  year  in  the  preparatory  department.  Was 
married  October  3,  1854,  to  Dr.  R.  A.  Conover. 

Is  still  living  at  her  home  in  Peculiar,  Cass 
county,  Missouri,  where  she  settled  on  removing 
to  that  State  in  1868,  loved  by  all  who  know  her. 

CAROLINE   NEVILLE    PEARRE. 

"Miss  Callie,"  as  she  was  called  in  auld  lang- 
syne,  began  the  voyage  of  life  near  Clarksville, 
Term.,  April  15,  1831,  and  in  infancy  was  brought 
by  her  parents  to  Mackinaw,  111.  After  Walnut 
Grove  Academy  was  started  she  spent  several 
terms  in  it  as  student,  also  as  teacher.  Then  after 
teaching  about  sixteen  years,  chiefly  in  Columbia, 
Mo.,  and  Harrodsburg,  Ky.,  she  was  married  in 
1869  to  Dr.  S.  E.  Pearre,  and  became  a  most  ef- 
ficient associate  in  his  ministerial  work. 

Hers  was  a  strongly  missionary   spirit,  and  in 
10 


146  HIS  TOBY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

1874,  while  living  in  Iowa  City,  la.,  she  developed 
the  idea  of  enlisting  the  sisterhood  of  the  Church 
of  Christ  in  systematic  effort  for  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel.  With  the  encouragement  and  assistance 
that  she  received  from  the  editors  of  the  Christian 
Standard  and  the  Christian- Evangelist,  and  a  few 
others,  she  planned  a  convention  to  be  held  in 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  October  of  that  year. 

About  seventy-five  women  responded  to  her  call, 
and  under  her  leadership  organized  the  Christian 
Woman's  Board  of  Missions,  which  has  proved  a 
mighty  power  for  good  in  many  ways. 

She  always  loved  young  people.  Long  she  was 
accustomed  to  lead  them,  especially  in  their  literary 
and  social  training.  She  loves  them  yet,  but  though 
no  longer  associated  with  them  in  the  school- 
room, from  her  quiet  home  in  Irvington,  Ind.,  she 
still  holds  sweet  and  helpful  communion  with  them 
through  the  Young  People 's  Standard. 

Hers  is  the  graceful  pen  of  a  ready  writer.  Long 
may  she  wield  it. 

ELMIRA    J.    DICKINSON. 

Elmira  Jane  Dickinson,  daughter  of  Elijah  and 
Mary  A.  Dickinson,  began  life  in  Christian  county, 
Ky.,  January  9,  1831.  Is  of  Welsh-English  de- 
scent. Came  with  her  parents  to  Walnut  Grove  in 
1835.  Was  baptized  July  6,  1845.  Was  educated 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  147 

in  Walnut  Grove  Academy,  taking  the  full  aca- 
demic course,  but  before  diplomas  were  conferred. 
Taught,  at  different  times,  several  years  in  the 
academy,  also  several  years  in  the  college,  retir- 
ing finally  from  the  work  in  June,  1870,  In  1869 
the  Board  of  Trustees  conferred  on  her  the  degree 
M.  A. 

She  aided  in  the  organization  of  the  Christian 
Woman's  Board  of  Missions  at  Cincinnati  in  Oc- 
tober, 1874.  Was,  at  the  beginning'of  this  work, 
made  State  President  of  the  Board  in  Illinois. 
Three  times  she  resigned  this  office  and  others 
were  elected,  but  she  was  as  often  recalled  to  it  as 
those  others  resigned  it  to  enter  other  fields  of 
labor,  and  she  still  has  charge  of  that  work. 

She  was  one  of  the  deputation  sent  by  the  C. 
W.  B.  M.  in  January,  1887,  to  visit  its  mission  on 
the  Island  of  Jamaica.  The  trip  occupied  about 
three  months. 

In  June,  1887,  she  was  elected  one  of  the  trus- 
tees of  Eureka  College,  the  first  woman  called  to 
that  position,  which  she  continues  to  fill. 

She  has  long  been  an  earnest  worker  in  the  tem- 
perance cause,  and  was  three  years  W.  C.  T.  U. 
President  in  the  Ninth  Congressional  district,  in 
which  she  resides,  and  gave  that  up  only  because 
she  could  not  carry  on  that  arduous  work  in  addi- 
tion to  her  missionary  duties,  to  which  she  felt 
specially  called. 


148  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

A  friend  and  promoter  of  education  always  and 
everywhere,  she  has  been  especially  interested  in 
arid  thoroughly  loyal  to  Eureka  College,  and  has 
long  wished  that  a  record  of  its  origin,  work  and 
experiences  might  be  arranged  in  permanent  form. 
Therefore  she  rejoices  that  this  is  now  being  done 
by  the  Alumni  Association,  and  is  glad  to  aid  in 
the  work. 

God  has  blessed  her  with  a  busy,  happy  life. 
The  evening  of  it  she  is  spending  in  her  quiet  home 
in  Eureka,  doing  whatsoever  her  hand  finds  to  do. 

O.  A.  BURGESS. 

Otis  Asa  Burgess  was  born  in  Thompson,  Wind- 
ham  county,  Connecticut,  August  26,  1829.  His 
ancestors,  both  paternal  and  maternal,  were  of  the 
Pilgrim  stock. 

When  about  eight  years  of  age  his  parents  mov- 
ed to  Norwich,  Chenango  county,  New  York.  He 
attended  "Munich  Academy,"  near  his  home,  com- 
pleted the  course  (except  the  classics)  in  the  spring 
of  1847,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  "went 
west"  to  Woodford  county,  Illinois,  and  taught 
school  till  1851,  in  that  and  in  Marshall  county. 

It  was  during  this  time  that  he  first  heard  of 
the  Disciples,  and  at  Washburn  that  he  first  heard 
a  full,  clear  statement  of  their  doctrines.  This  was 
a  forcible  presentation  of  the  gospel  and  its  con- 
ditions, by  Elder  Henry  D.  Palmer,  based  on  Acts 


O.  A.  BURGESS. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  149 

2:  38.  His  own  words  concerning  it  were,  "It  was 
new,  wonderful.  It  opened  a  new  world."  He 
was  immersed  July  1,  1850 ;  went  to  Bethany  Col- 
lege in  the  fall  of  1851 ;  graduated  July  4,  1854, 
and  was  married  October  17  of  the  same  year  to 
Miss  N.  J.  Ledgerwood,  of  Washburn,  a  grand- 
daughter of  Elder  Palmer. 

During  the  winter  of  1854-5  he  was  solicitor 
for  Walnut  Grove  Academy,  and  was  instrumen- 
tal in  obtaining  the  charter  for  Eureka  College 
that  same  winter. 

In  the  spring  of  1855  he  took  charge  of  the 
church  in  Washington,  Illinois,  but  resigned  in 
the  fall  and  became  a  professor  in  Eureka  Col- 
lege, continuing  one  year.  From  May,  1861,  to 
May,  1862,  he  was  in  his  country's  service,  but 
his  health  failing,  he  returned  home. 

Late  in  the  fall  of  1862  he  took  charge  of  the 
Central  Christian  Church  in  Indianapolis.  After 
a  pastorate  of  nearly  eight  years,  he  accepted  the 
presidency  of  Northwestern  Christian  (now  But- 
ler) University,  in  which  capacity  he  served  two 
years,  resigning  to  take  charge  of  the  church 
on  the  corner  of  Indiana  avenue  and  25th  street, 
Chicago.  After  a  pastorate  of  three  years  he  re- 
turned to  the  presidency  of  the  university,  where 
he  remained  eight  years. 

In  the  spring  of  1881  he  decided  to  go  back 
to  the  same  little  church  in  Chicago.  This  was 


150  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

his  last  work.  He  passed  away  March  14,  1882, 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  quiet  little  cemetery 
at  Forest,  Illinois. 

He  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  character,  full 
of  energy  and  persistence,  of  great  physical  pow- 
er and  mental  vigor,  and  was  always  at  work. 

He  was  strong  in  controversy,  and  held  a  num- 
ber of  important  and  successful  discussions  in  de- 
fence of  Christ  and  his  teachings.  Was  firm 
even  to  sternness  in  refuting  his  opponent,  arid 
seemed  cold  as  an  iceberg,  but  it  was  only  seem- 
ing. His  heart  was  as  warm  and  tender  as  a 
little  child's,  and  large  enough  to  take  in  all  the 
world.  And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  both  his 
friends  and  his  enemies  were  strongly  so.  While 
he  was  eminently  successful  in  debate,  he  was 
just  as  successful  as  an  evangelist  in  winning 
souls  to  Christ  by  his  own  strong  personal  con- 
victions, his  tenderly  persuasive  power,  and  his 
knowledge  and  use  of  the  Word  of  God. 

Moreover,  he  was  successful  in  the  management 
of  his  finances.  Was  deeply  interested  in  poli- 
tics, benevolence,  education,  Christianity  at  home 
and  abroad,  and  freely  used  his  means  for  what- 
ever would  uplift  and  ennoble  humanity. 

O.  A.  Burgess  was  a  good  man.  In  his  death 
the  church  lost  a  pillar,  and  the  whole  world  a 
friend. 


BIO  GRAPHICAL .  151 

R.    A.    CONOVER,    M.  D. 

Richard  Ashton  Conover  was  born  in  Morgan 
county,  Illinois,  December  28,  1831.  Received  his 
literary  education  at  Eureka,  Illinois.  In  1856 
began  the  study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  R.  B.  M. 
Wilson,  of  Washington,  Illinois.  Graduated  from 
St.  Louis  Medical  College  in  1858.  Was  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Fisher  of  Tazewell  county,  Illinois, 
October  3,  1854.  Taught  one  year  in  the  prepar- 
atory department  of  Walnut  Grove  Academy. 
Practiced  medicine  in  Eureka,  Illinois,  from  1858 
till  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 
He  entered  the  service  in  August,  1862,  as  Assist- 
ant Surgeon  in  the  108th  Regiment,  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry.  In  1863  was  promoted  to  Surgeon 
and  served  in  that  capacity  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  Removed  with  his  family  to  Peculiar,  Cass 
county,  Missouri,  in  1868,  where  he  practiced  his 
profession  sixteen  years,  when,  his  health  failing, 
he  lingered  two  years,  then  passed  away  with 
heart  disease,  February  15,  1886.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  was  president  of  the  Medical  Associa- 
tion of  Kansas  City  District. 

PRESIDENT    LOOS. 

Charles  Louis  Loos  was  born  December  22,  1823, 
at  Woerth-sur-Sauer,  Department  of  the  Lower 
Rhine,  France.  His  father  was  Jacques  G.  Loos,  a 


152  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

native  of  France ;  his  mother  a  native  of  Bavaria, 
consequently,  German. 

After  his  fourth  year  he  attended  the  academy  of 
his  native  place  until  his  departure  for  the  United 
States,  in  1834.  He  was  reared  in  the  family  of  a 
pious  grandmother,  and  by  her  was  carefully  train- 
ed in  the  Lutheran  faith.  In  1837  he  was  confirmed 
in  the  Lutheran  Church.  Soon  afterward  he  be- 
came acquainted  with  the  teaching  of  the  Disciples, 
and  in  1838  united  with  them  under  the  preaching 
of  J.  Wesley  Lampheare,  being  immersed  by  John 
Whitacre.  This  caused  great  bitterness  and  oppo- 
sition among  his  Lutheran  relatives,  but  he  had 
taken  the  step  under  an  earnest  conviction  of  duty, 
and  did  not  stop  to  confer  with  flesh  and  blood. 

He  began  to  teach  school  at  sixteen  years  of  age, 
and  at  seventeen  began  to  preach  the  gospel.  In 
September,  1842,  he  entered  Bethany  College, 
where  he  graduated  in  1846,  and  then  remained 
three  years  as  teacher  in  the  primary  department. 
July  6,  1848,  was  married  at  Bethany  to  Rosetta  E. 
Kerr,  daughter  of  Rev.  John  Kerr,  a  Presbyterian 
minister,  of  Newry,  Ireland.  She  was  his  devoted 
companion  and  helpmeet  for  forty-five  years,  and 
very  recently  has  fallen  asleep. 

In  1849  he  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. Served  the  church  at  Wellsburg,  Virginia, 
one  year,  then  the  church  at  Somerset,  Pennsylva- 
nia, five  years.  During  two  years  of  this  time  he 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  153 

edited  a  monfrhly  paper  called  The  Disciple,  and 
two  years  was  principal  of  an  academy.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1856,  he  took  charge  of  the  church  on  Eighth 
and  Walnut  streets,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  became 
assistant  editor  of  the  Christian  Age.  In  January, 
1857,  having  been  elected  President  of  Eureka 
College,  in  Illinois,  he  removed  to  that  place  and 
work,  remaining  until  September,  1858,  when  he 
was  recalled  to  Bethany  College,  to  the  chair  of 
Ancient  Langiuiges  and  Literature  in  that  institu- 
tion. 

In  May,  1880,   he  resigned  his  professorship  in 
Bethany  College,  and  soon  after  accepted  the  Pres 
idency  of  Kentucky  University  and  the  chair  of 
Greek,  which  position  he  still  occupies. 

He  was  a  regular  contributor  to  the  Christian 
Standard  from  its  beginning  in  1866,  until  the  death 
of  its  editor  and  founder,  Isaac  Errett.  He  was  a 
contributor  to  Moore's  Christian  Quarterly  and 
has  been  a  writer  also  for  the  Christian  Quarterly 
Review.  Of  late  years  he  has  been  writing  for  the 
Chris  tian- Evangelist. 

He  has  now  been  preaching  fifty-two  years,  and 
engaged  in  higher  educational  work  more  than  forty 
years.  His  best  loved  work  has  been  the  ancient 
languages  as  connected  with  the  Holy  Scriptures  in 
preparing  young  men  for  preaching  the  Grospel. 

Since  the  death  of  Isaac  Errett  he  has  been  the 
President  of  the  Foreign  Christian  Missionary  So- 
ciety. 


154  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

GEORGE  CALLENDER. 

George  Callender  was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scot- 
land, July  14,  1807.  There  he  attended  school, 
beginning  the  study  of  Latin  when  only  eight  years 
of  age,  and  becoming  in  it  so  proficient  that  Greek 
was  learned  with  a  Greek-Latin  lexicon.  He  was 
also  fitting  himself  for  the  ministry  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  in  which  faith  he  had  been  brought 
up,  until  about  his  fifteenth  year,  when,  threatened 
with  serious  lung  trouble,  was  obliged  to  give  up  his 
studies  and  enter  his  father's  tannery,  where  he 
served  his  apprenticeship  to  the  trade.  His  health 
while  there  was  in  a  great  measure  restored,  but 
though  obliged  to  give  up  serving  God  from  the  pul- 
pit, he  was  not  idle.  He  joined  heartily  in  church 
and  Sunday-school  work,  in  work  of  the  Society  for 
the  Destitute,  visiting  the  sick  and  needy,  render- 
ing necessary  substantial  aid,  and  ever  ready  with 
words  of  comfort  and  encouragement,  which  few 
knew  better  how  to  give. 

On  leaving  the  tannery  he  engaged  in  the  com- 
mission business  in  Glasgow,  removing  later  to 
Liverpool,  England,  where  he  married  Miss  Isabella 
Dunlop,  and  where  they  lived  nine  years.  For  the 
sake  of  the  children,  especially  the  boys — two  sons 
and  a  daughter  having  been  born  to  them — he  de- 
termined to  leave  the  vice  and  confinement  of  the 
city  for  the  pure,  free  air  of  an  American  farm.  In 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  155 

May,  1852,  he  came  to  the  United  States,  seeking 
a  suitable  location  for  their  new  home.  He  was 
greatly  attracted  to  this  locality  by  its  natural 
beauty  and  fertility,  and,  after  purchasing  proper- 
ty, returned  to  England  to  settle  up  his  business. 
The  following  year  he  removed  his  family  to  the 
property  purchased  tire  previous  year,  near  what  is 
now  Eureka,  Illinois,  and  soon  identified  himself 
with  the  best  interests  of  the  community.  One 
daughter  was  born  to  them  there ;  and,  alas  for 
the  father's  hopes  and  sacrifices,  in  1856  one  son 
died,  and  in  1858  the  other. 

In  1855,  through  the  preaching  of  Rev.  William 
Brown,  Mr.  Callender  and  his  wife  were  buried 
with  Christ  in  baptism,  having  learned  of  the  Dis- 
ciples while  in  Liverpool  by  reading  the  discussion 
between  Alex  Campbell  and  Robert  Owen  on  the 
Evidences  of  Christianity.  Soon  after  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  young  people  of  the  neighbor- 
hood he  gathered  them  together  at  his  home  on 
Sunday  afternoon  for  Bible  study.  The  little  Sun- 
day-school soon  outgrew  his  rooms,  and  was  re- 
moved to  the  academy,  which,  too,  was  soon  not 
large  enough  to  accommodate  those  who  came,  and 
it  was  moved  again,  to  the  church,  where  he  was 
still  its  faithful  superintendent  and  teacher  of  the 
Bible  class.  Such  was  the  beginning  of  our  Sun- 
day-school in  Eureka,  not  that  this  was  the  first 
time  or  the  second  that  one  had  been  organized  in 


156  HISTORY  OF  EUEEKA   COLLEGE. 

the  community,  but  it  was  given  to  this  good  man 
to  successfully  begin  and  carry  it  through  its  early 
discouragements,  till  it  became  second  only  to  the 
church  service. 

He  who  knew  the^  advantages  of  an  education 
could  not  but  feel  a  deep  interest  in  the  struggles 
of  our  school  to  gain  and  maintain  a  place  among 
our  people.  Mr.  Callender  was  President  of  the 
college  for  two  or  three  years,  during  which  time  he 
awarded  the  first  diploma  given  by  the  institution, 
and  under  him  also  graduated  the  largest  class  of 
its  first  twenty-six  years.  Being  a  thorough  stu- 
dent of  the  Bible  and  having  a  mind  well  stored 
with  useful  information,  the  lectures  he  frequently 
delivered  before  the  students  were  exceedingly  in- 
teresting and  instructive.  He  was  very  fond  of  the 
society  of  young  people,  over  whom  he  had  a  re- 
markable influence  for  good;  he  made  himself  their 
friend,  joined  in  their  amusements,  sympathized 
in  their  sorrows,  and  gave  substantial  aid  to 
ambitious,  deserving  students,  struggling  to  ob- 
tain an  education.  He  gave  freely  of  time  and 
means  to  further  the  interests  of  the  college. 
He  was  one  of  the  Charter  Trustees  and  its  ef- 
ficient secretary  of  the  Board  for  a  number  of 
years,  aud  only  retired  from  the  trusteeship 
when  age  and  failing  health  warned  him  to  lay 
aside  some  of  the  burdens  of  earlier  years.  In 
his  dealings  with  others  and  in  his  daily  life  he 


BIO  GEA  PHI  GAL .  157 

was  above  reproach.  It  was  a  comfort  when 
age  was  creeping  on,  to  feel  that  all  his  life  through 
he  had  striven  to  be  just  and  honest  toward  all 
men.  Having  made  his  peace  with  God  he  did 
not  doubt,  and  often,  when  he  felt  the  powers  of 
mind  and  body  failing,  would  repeat,  "He  that  hear- 
eth  my  word,  and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me 
hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into  con- 
demnation, but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life" 
(John  5:  24),  receiving  untold  comfort  from  Christ's 
words.  As  the  shadows  of  forgetfulness  closed 
about  him,  he  still  remembered  passages  of  God's 
word  and  could  express  himself  in  prayer  when 
speech  concerning  the  common  affairs  of  life  failed 
him.  After  a  lingering  illness,  most  patiently  en- 
dured, his  spirit  took  its  flight  July  17,  1891,  arid 
his  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  at  Eu- 
reka. 

Such  is  the  brief  history  of  a  noble  life,  a  life  not 
unsuccessful  as  the  world  counts  success,  but  emi- 
nently successful  in  its  best  sense,  in  its  influence 
for  good  upon  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 

GEORGINA  Jon  AN]*. 

J.  M.  ALLEN. 

James  M.  Allen  was  born  in  Fleming  county, 
Kentucky,  July  1st,  1827.  Father's  name,  Simeon 
B.  Allen ;  mother's  maiden  name,  Mary  Stamps 


158  HIS TOE Y  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE. 

Shackleford,  both  of  Fayette  county,  Kentucky. 
Their  parents  moved  from  Virginia  to  Kentucky. 
He  was  educated  at  home,  in  country  and  village 
schools,  until  sixteen  years  of  age.  Then  attend- 
ed Transylvania  University,  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
under  Methodist  supervision,  H.  B.  Bascom,  presi- 
dent, and  afterward  Bacon  College,  Harrodsburg, 
Kentucky,  James  Shannon,  president.  Studied 
medicine  with  Dr.  David  Clinton  Higbee,  Lexing- 
ton, Kentucky.  Attended  course  of  lectures  in 
Medical  department  of  Transylvania  University. 
Following  year  continued  study  of  medicine  with 
Dr.  Shackleford  of  Maysville,  Kentucky,  and  Dr. 
Flamming,  of  Elizaville,  Kentucky. 

Year  following  this  took  course  of  lectures  in 
Ohio  Medical  School,  Cincinnati,  and  received  di- 
ploma from  this  school. 

Practiced  two  years  in  Mayslick,  Kentucky,  and 
moved  to  Illinois  in  fall  of  the  year  1853. 

Entered  the  ministry  and  was  ordained  at  Eureka 
in  1856.  Began  teaching  in  Eureka  College  1857. 
July  31,  1860,  married  Sarah  E.  Watkins,  Eureka, 
Illinois.  Connected  with  Eureka  College  as  pro- 
fessor, president,  financial  agent,  etc.,  from  1857 
to  summer  of  1891,  when  he  moved  to  Sprague, 
Washington,  where  he  preached  for  the  church  a 
year  and  then  took  charge  of  the  church  at  Spo- 
kane, Washington. 


1  C.  L.  Loos. 

2  Geo.  CaJlender. 


3  B.  W.  Johnson, 

4  H.  W.  Everest. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  159 

B.  W.    JOHNSON. 

B.  W.  Johnson  was  born  in  1833  in  the  log  cabin 
of  a  pioneer  settler,  in  Tazewell  county,  Illinois. 
On  his  father's  side  his  ancestry  was  English,  but 
was  settled  in  South  Carolina  before  the  Revolu- 
tion. His  mother  was  of  Scotch  descent.  Until  he 
was  seventeen  his  education  was  that  of  a  prairie 
farm  in  the  summer  and  of  a  log  school-house  in 
the  winter.  At  that  age  he  entered  Walnut  Grove 
Academy,  then  conducted  by  A.  S.  Fisher  and 
John  Lindsey.  For  a  portion  of  three  years  he  at- 
tended its  sessions,  the  last  two  reciting  in  Greek 
and  Latin  to  John  H.  Neville.  After  teaching  a 
district  school  for  two  terms,  he  went,  in  the  fall 
of  1854,  to  Bethany  College.  He  graduated  there 
in  1856,  and  after  teaching  in  Bloomington  one 
year,  accepted  a  place  in  Eureka  College. 

In  1858  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Allen  of  Bloom- 
ington, Illinois,  sister  of  Dr.  J.  M.  Allen.  They 
have  three  children,  all  daughters  and  all  mar- 
ried. 

Five  years  later  he  accepted  the  position  of  Cor- 
responding Secretary  of  the  General  Missionary 
Society,  and  one  year  after  that  of  Professor  in 
Bethany  College.  In  1868  he  accepted  the  Presi- 
dency of  Oskaloosa  College.  For  the  last  twenty 
years  he  has  been  engaged  as  editor  of  the  Christ- 
ian-Evangelist, and  at  intervals  of  editorial  work 


160  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

has  found  time  to  write  a  dozen  volumes,  all  com- 
mentaries on  portions  of  the  Bible,  except  a  volume 
of  travels  in  the  Holy  Land. 

RICHARD  H.  JOHNSON. 

Richard  Henry  Johnson  was  born  at  Washing- 
ton, Illinois,  March  2, 1835.  His  parents,  John  and 
Martha  (McCorkle)  Johnson,  were,  the  first  of  Eng- 
lish, the  second  of  Scotch  ancestry. 

When  about  eighteen  years  old  he  entered  Eu- 
reka College,  and  was  graduated  from  Bethany 
College,  Virginia,  in  18£>9.  The  next  year  he  was 
made  a  professor  in  Eureka  College.  Was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Susie  S.  Smith,  of  Bridgewater,  Ver- 
mont, in  1862.  Three  years  later  he  removed  to 
Williamsville,  New  York,  to  take  the  position  of 
principal  of  the  Classical  Institute  at  that  place. 
Thence  he  removed  to  Lock  Haven,  Pennsylvania, 
to  engage  in  the  ministry,  returning  a  few  years 
later  to  Illinois,  thence  in  1878  to  Oskaloosa,  Iowa, 
where  he  assumed  the  pastoral  work  of  the  Chris- 
tian church. 

In  1881  he  accepted  a  professorship  in  Oskaloosa 
College  and  was  advanced  to  its  presidency  the 
next  year. 

He  gave  up  his  official  duties  in  the  college  in 
1888,  and  is  subsequently  actively  engaged  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  being  pleasantly  located  at 
New  Sharon,  Iowa. 


1    John  Lindsey. 
3    K.  A.  Conover. 


2    R.  H.  Johnson. 
4    J.  H.  Rowell. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  161 

J.  H.  ROWELL. 

Jonathan  Harvey  Rowell  was  born  at  Haver- 
hill,  New  Hampshire,  February  10,  1833.  His  fa- 
ther was  a  well-to-do  farmer  and  his  ancestors 
were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  New  England^ 
The  first  sixteen  years  of  his  life  were  spent  on  his 
father's  farm,  working  in  summer  and  going  to 
district  school  in  winter. 

In  1849  his  parents  moved  to  McLean  county, 
Illinois,  where  his  father  died  the  following  year. 

From  sixteen  to  twenty-two  he  taught  school  in 
winters  and  worked  at  whatever  he  could  find  to 
do  in  summers.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he  unit- 
ed with  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Stout's  Grove,  and 
soon  after  entered  Eureka  College,  where  he  gradu- 
ated in  1861. 

During  the  time  he  was  going  through  college  he 
taught  one  year  at  Washington,  and  also  more 
than  a  year  at  Eureka  in  the  preparatory  school, 
then  under  the  control  of  the  college  authorities. 
In  1860  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Mathematics 
in  the  college. 

In  May,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  G,  17th 
Illinois  Infantry,  a  company  largely  made  up  of 
college  students.  Was  first  lieutenant  of  the  com- 
pany one  year  and  captain  two  years,  succeeding 
Elder  O.  A.  Burgess,  who  was  the  first  captain. 

He  graduated  from  the  Law  department  of  Chi- 


162  HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

cago  University,  valedictorian  of  his  class,  in 
1865,  and  the  same  year  commenced  the  practice 
of  law  in  Bloomington,  Illinois,  where  he  has  since 
resided. 

He  was  married  in  1866  to  Maria  S.  Woods  of 
Alton,  Illinois,  a  native  of  Illinois  but  of  New  Eng- 
land parentage.  They  have  five  children.  His 
oldest  son  is  a  graduate  of  Michigan  University, 
and  now  a  student  in  Germany.  His  oldest  daugh- 
ter also  graduated  from  Michigan  University,  and 
is  now  teaching  in  California.  His  second  and 
third  sons  are  in  school  in  Bloomington. 

He  was  State's  Attorney  of  the  eighth  judicial 
circuit  of  Illinois,  from  1868  to  1872  ;  Master  in 
Chancery  of  McLean  county  two  years ;  member 
of  the  Board  of  Education  of  Bloomington  six 
years ;  Garfield  elector  in  1880,  and  a  member  of 
the  48th,  49th,  50th  and  51st  Congress.  Was  chair- 
man of  the  Committee  on  Elections  in  the  51st 
Congress ;  was  active  in  securing  the  passage  of 
the  Inter-State  Commerce,  the  monetary  and  the 
tariff  legislation  now  upon  our  statute  books,  and 
he  also,  with  the  best  help  he  could  get,  prepared 
the  Federal  Election  bill,  which  passed  the  House, 
and  which  has  since  been  miscalled  the  "  Lodge 
Bill "  and  the  "  Force  Bill." 

Has  taken  an  active  part  as  a  "Republican  in  all 
political  campaigns  in  this  State  since  1864,  and  is 
still  good  for  several  more  campaigns. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  163 

MARY   CLARK    HAWK. 

Mary  Gertrude  Clark  was  born  near  Eureka, 
February  12,  1841,  daughter  of  Robert  M.  and  Cyn- 
thia M.  Clark.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  original 
trustees  of  Eureka  College.  Among  her  first  teach- 
ers was  Professor  A.  S.  Fisher,  under  whose  ef- 
ficient instruction  she  continued  until  her  gradua- 
tion in  1861.  During  her  senior  year  she  taught 
in  the  Preparatory  department  of  the  college,  and 
continued  teaching  in  Eureka's  public  schools  un- 
til 1865,  when  she  married  Major  R.  M.  A.  Hawk, 
92nd  Reg.  111.  Yols.,  to  whose  home  in  Mt.  Carroll 
she  removed  and  there  has  since  lived. 

Major  Hawk  was  County  Clerk  of  Carroll  county 
for  twelve  years,  resigning  to  accept  a  seat  in  the 
Forty-sixth  National  Congress  as  a  Republican 
representative  from  the  Fifth  district  of  Illinois. 
On  the  eve  of  a  renomination  for  a  third  term  in 
Congress  he  was  suddenly  stricken  down  at  his 
post  of  duty,  in  the  strength  of  a  vigorous  and 
noble  manhood.  Left  thus  alone,  Mrs.  Hawk  brave- 
ly devoted  herself  to  the  rearing  and  education  of 
her  children — a  daughter  and  two  sons.  Her  son, 
Harry,  class  '85,  was  the  first  child  of  a  member 
of  the  Alumni  to  graduate  from  Eureka  College — 
the  first  grandchild  of  his  mother's  Alma  Mater. 
The  names  of  Prof.  A.  S.  Fisher  and  Dr.  J.  M.  Al- 


164  HISTORY  OF  EUEEKA   COLLEGE. 

len,  two  of  his  mother's  instructors,  appear  on  his 
diploma. 

Mrs.  Hawk  has  always  been  an  ardent  supporter 
of  Eureka  College  and  its  interests,  and  feels  a 
personal  pride  in  the  welfare  of  the  institution. 


CHAPTER  III. 

TEACHERS  FROM  1860   TO  1880. 

H.  W.  Everest— H.  0.  Newcomb— B.  J.  Kadford— A.  M.  Weston 
— O.  P.  Hay— D.  M.  Blair— Jatnes  Kirk— Carl  Johann— E.  W. 
Dickinson— A.  J.  Youngblood. 

H.    W.     EVEREST. 

Harvey  W.  Everest  was  born  at  North  Hudson, 
Essex  county,  New  York,  May  10,  1831.  Leaving 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  village,  he  contin- 
ued his  education  at  Geauga  Seminary  and  at 
Western  Reserve  Eclectic  Institute  (now  Hiram 
College),  Ohio;  Bethany  College,  West  Virginia, 
and  at  Oberlin  College,  Ohio,  from  which  he  grad- 
uated. 

He  had  served  as  tutor  while  attending  the  Ec- 
lectic Institute,  and  immediately  after  his  gradua- 
tion became  its  principal,  and  held  this  position 
until  he  resigned  it  to  accept  the  presidency  of  Eu- 
reka College  in  1864.  Leaving  Eureka  in  1872,  he 
served  the  Christian  Church  at  Springfield  two 
years  as  its  pastor.  In  1874  he  was  chosen  one  of 
the  professors  in  Kentucky  University  and  remain- 
ed there  two  years.  Then  was  pastor  of  the  church 

(165) 


166  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

at  Normal,  Illinois,  one  year,  when  he  was  called, 
in  1877,  to  be  a  second  time  president  of  Eureka 
College. 

This  position  he  held  till  the  spring  of  1881, 
when  he  accepted  the  presidency  of  Butler  Univer- 
sity at  Irvingtonjndiana,  remaining  there  till  1886, 
when  he  went  to  Wichita,  Kansas,  to  take  in  hand, 
as  Chancellor,  the  work  of  organizing  Garfield 
University.  For  three  j^ears  this  institution  seem- 
ed eminently  successful,  but  then,  on  account  of 
financial  difficulties,  was  forced  to  suspend.  In 
June,  1890,  President  Everest  became  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Hutchinson,  Kansas. 

For  years  he  has  contributed  very  largely  to  our 
current  literature,  both  papers  and  magazines.  In 
1884  he  published  "  The  Divine  Demonstration — A 
Text-Book  of  Christian  Evidence"  which  was  at 
once  adopted  by  our  own  Bible  Schools,  and  also 
has  recently  been  adopted  by  Center  College,  Dan- 
ville, Kentucky,  one  of  the  leading  Presbyterian 
colleges  in  the  United  States. 

H.    O.    NEWCOMB. 

Henry  Obediah  Newcomb  was  born  January  5, 
1838,  at  Wadsworth,  Medina  county,  Ohio.  His 
parents  were  of  English  descent  and  his  paternal 
grandfather  was  one  of  the  first  Disciple  preachers 
of  the  Western  Reserve. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  167 

His  early  education  was  obtained  at  the  Eclectic 
Institute,  Hiram,  Ohio.  He  afterwards  entered  the 
Junior  class,  Michigan  University,  from  which 
university  he  graduated  at  twenty-three,  having 
completed  the  required  curriculum  and  also  the 
usual  course  in  French  and  German  literature. 
Soon  after  he  was  called  to  a  professorship  in  Eu- 
reka College,  where  he  taught  Greek,  modern  lan- 
guages and  history  during  the  last  seven  years  of 
his  life.  After  a  thorough  course  of  law  reading 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Warren,  Ohio,  and 
later  he  organized  and  carried  on  the  Law  depart- 
ment at  Eureka  College. 

His  health  failing,  he  returned  to  Hiram,  where 
he  died,  at  his  father's  home,  September  16,  1870, 
at  the  age  of  thirty-two. 

As  a  scholar  he  was  accurate  and  profound  ;  as 
a  teacher,  popular  and  successful,  having  at  all 
times  the  full  appreciation  and  respect  of  both  fac- 
ulty and  students. 

B.    J.     KADFOED. 

Benjamin  Johnson  Radford  was  born  December 
25,  1838,  at  Walnut  Grove,  Illinois,  within  a  mile 
of  the  present  village  of  Eureka.  His  parents  were 
Virginians  of  English  stock,  with  a  slight  admix- 
ture of  Scotch  on  the  father's  side.  His  life,  until 
he  attained  his  majority ,was  upon  the  farm,  work- 


168  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

ing  in  summers  and  attending  school  during  the 
winters.  In  January,  1859,  he  began  his  first  school 
teaching,  at  Mt.  Zion,  near  Eureka,  continuing  un- 
til June.  The  next  winter  he  attended  Eureka 
College,  and  the  next  taught  again,  near  Wash- 
ington, Illinois.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  again 
entered  college,  expecting  to  complete  his  junior 
year.  Then  the  war  came  on  and  he  went  a- 
soldiering  with  the  majority  of  his  fellow  students. 
He  was  mustered  out  of  service  with  his  regi- 
ment in  June,  1864,  having  served  more  than  three 
years.  Having  secured  a  clerkship  in  Springfield, 
at  a  good  salary,  he  was  married  in  October  of  this 
year  to  Rhoda  J.  Magarity,  of  Mt.  Zion,  whose  ac- 
quaintance he  had  made  while  teaching  there,  and 
to  whom  he  was  engaged  before  he  enlisted.  In 
the  spring  of  1865  he  was  induced  by  O.  A.  Bur- 
gess, his  old  college  teacher  and  captain,  and  who 
was  then  corresponding  secretary  of  the  General 
Christian  Missionary  Society, to  enter  the  ministry. 
He  resigned  his  clerkship,  and  after  spending  a 
part  of  the  summer  traveling  for  the  Society  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  Burgess,  that  fall  again  entered 
Eureka  College,  graduating  in  June,  1866.  The 
year  1867  was  spent  in  farming,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1868  he  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church 
at  Niantic,  Illinois.  The  next  spring  he  returned 
to  Eureka,  purchased  the  Woodford  (now  Eureka) 
Journal,  and  while  conducting  that  preached  in  the 


BIOaEAPHICAL,  169 

neighboring  congregations  on  Sundays.  The  next 
year  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Latin  in  his 
Alma  Mater,  and  entered  upon  his  work  with  the 
fall  term  of  1870.  He  continued  in  this  work  until 
1881,  occupying  the  presidency  of  the  college  part 
of  the  time.  In  July,  1881,  he  accepted  the  pastor 
ate  of  the  church  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and  the 
next  year  was  elected  President  of  Drake  Univer- 
sity. Double  labor  of  pastorate  and  the  presidency 
caused  a  physical  break-down  which  compelled  a 
resignation,  and  in  July,  1883,  he  returned  to  Eu- 
reka. After  a  short  rest  he  was  as  good  as  new, 
and  that  fall  found  him  teaching  again  in  the  col- 
lege and  preaching  for  the  Eureka  church,  in  both 
of  which  labors  he  had  spent  so  many  years. 

In  September,  1885,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of 
Isaac  Errett,  Mr.  Radford  accepted  the  pastorate  of 
the  Richmond  Street  Christian  Church  in  Cincin- 
nati, of  which  Mr.  Errett  was  an  elder.  During  the 
next  summer  he  was  chosen  as  Mr.  Errett's  asso- 
ciate in  editing  the  Christian  Standard,  and  still 
occupies  the  position  of  associate  editor  on  that 
paper.  In  connection  with  Miss  Jessie  Brown,  he 
edited  several  volumes  of  The  Disciple,  a  period- 
ical that  met  with  great  favor  among  the  Disciples. 
In  1890  he  became  pastor  of  the  Central  Christian 
church  of  Denver,  but  returned  to  Eureka  in  1892 
and  resumed  his  work  in  Eureka  College,  where 
this  sketch  leaves  him. 


170  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

As  preacher,  lecturer,  editor  and  poet,  Mr.  Rad- 
ford  has  become  known  throughout  the  brother- 
hood, and  whatever  reputation  he  has,  has  been 
justly  earned  by  hard  and  continuous  work.  He 
was  honored  with  the  appointment  of  representa- 
tive of  the  Disciples  of  Illinois  in  our  World's 
Fair  Congress  in  connection  with  the  Parliament 
of  Religions,  and  gave  eminent  satisfaction  as 
such  representative. 

A.    M.    WESTON. 

Asa  Minor  Weston  was  born  September  24, 1836, 
at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  reared  on  a  small  farm 
six  miles  east  of  that  city.  His  ancestors  were 
among  the  first  settlers  of  Massachusetts.  His 
preparatory  education  was  at  Shaw  Academy, 
Colamer,  Ohio.  Then  he  spent  several  years  in 
Obeiiin  College,  completing  the  Sophomore  year, 
when,  attracted  by  the  fame  of  Horace  Mann,  he, 
with  seven  of  his  class-mates,  went  toAntioch  Col- 
lege, where  he  graduated  in  1857.  Prom  a  child 
he  was  very  fond  of  books,  and  apt  in  studies  of 
all  kinds. 

He  taught  during  his  college  course,  in  part  pay- 
ing his  own  way.  After  graduation  he  taught  in  a 
select  Normal  School  in  Clinton  county,  Ohio.  In 
1860-1  was  local  editor  of  the  Cincinnati  Press,  a 
daily  paper  of  wide  circulation  in  the  city  and  vi- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  171 

cinity.  Gave  up  the  paper  to  enter  the  army  in 
August,  1862.  Was  first  private  in  Co.  K,  50th 
Reg.  Ohio  Vol. Inf.  Promoted  at  various  times,  he 
became  Sergeant-major  of  the  regiment  and  second 
Lieutenant  Co.  E.  Served  till  the  close  of  the  war 
without  absence  or  wounds.  Was  in  the  Atlanta 
campaign,  also  in  the  engagements  at  Perryville, 
Franklin,  Nashville  and  other  places. 

After  the  war  was  Superintendent  of  Schools  and 
Principal  of  Jennings  Academy,  Yernon,  Indiana, 
two  years.  Then  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  Hi- 
ram College,  Ohio,  the  first  two  years  of  its  exist- 
ence as  a  college.  Declined  to  remain  longer  when 
the  responsibility  and  management  were  placed  in 
the  hands  of  one  man.  Married  Miss  Julia  E.  Par- 
dee,  one  of  the  teachers  in  the  college.  This  union 
was  blessed  with  one  child,  a  daughter,  now  Mrs. 
Rowlison,  of  Troy,  Pennsylvania.  Then  after  one 
year  in  charge  of  Major  College,  a  school  for  young 
ladies,  in  Bloomington,  Illinois,  he  came  to  Eureka 
in  1870,  remaining  six  years,  three  years  as  profes- 
sor and  three  as  president,  succeeding  President 
Everest.  Daring  his  presidency  there  was  a  good 
increase  each  year  in  the  number  of  students. 

In  1876  removed  to  Indiana,  and  has  greatly  en- 
joyed fitting  up  a  home  and  preaching  according 
to  occasion.  Three  years,  from  1888  to  1891,  had 
a  delightful  service  as  pastor  of  the  church  at 


172  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

Troy,  Perm.  Since  then  has  been  living  on  his 
farm  near  Mount  Summit,  Indiana. 

He  considers  that  his  forte  was  undoubtedly 
teaching,  and  was  always  exceedingly  popular  in 
school  work,  but  never  so  anywhere  else.  All  his 
life  he  has  been  subject  to  severe  headache,  and,  as 
a  teacher,  worked  too  hard,  and  for  this  cause  felt 
constrained  to  abandon  this  calling,  declining  some 
lucrative  offers  to  take  charge  of  schools. 

In  politics  he  has  been  independent. 

Was  reared  in  the  influence  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  which  his  father  was  a  deacon.  When 
a  young  man  he  fell  into  skepticism,  caused  by  the 
unreasonableness  of  certain  dogmas  which  he  had 
been  taught.  After  his  graduation  he  heard  preach- 
ing by  ministers  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  which  in 
time  so  disabused  his  mind  of  false  impressions, 
and  gave  him  keys  to  an  understanding  of  the 
Bible,  that  he  determined  to  obey  the  G-ospel  at 
the  very  time  that  he  decided  to  enlist  in  the  ser- 
vice of  his  country.  He  was  baptized  by  David  S. 
Burnett  in  Cincinnati,  and  the  next  morning  found 
him  on  his  way  to  camp  Denison.  Never  since  has 
he  lacked  faith  in  or  enthusiasm  for  the  cause  of 
the  ever  blessed  Son  of  God. 

His  life  has  been  a  busy  one,  but  he  has  found 
time  to  write  a  book  entitled,  "  Evolution  of  a 
Shadow."  The  point  of  view  is  the  Sabbath  as  a 
type  (or  "Shadow" );  hence  the  name.  It  is  an 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  173 

interesting  work  and  has  been  very  generally  com- 
mended by  those  who  have  read  it. 


o.  P.   HAY. 

Oliver  Perry  Hay  was  born  in  Jefferson  county, 
Indiana,  May  22,  1846.  His  parents,  Robert  and 
Margaret  Hay,  were  of  Scotch  descent.  A.  B., 
Eureka  College,  1870.  Married  to  Mary  E.  Hows- 
man,  June  30,  1870.  Professor  in  Eureka  College, 
1870-3  ;  in  Oskaloosa  College,  Iowa,  1874-6.  Stu- 
dent at  Yale  University,  1876-7.  Professor  in  Ab- 
ingdon  College,  1877-9.  Professor  in  Butler  Uni- 
versity, Indianapolis,  1879-92.  Ph.  D.,  Indiana 
University,  1887.  Assistant  on  geological  surveys 
of  Indiana  an'd  Arkansas,  1887  to  date.  Fellow 
of  American  Association  Advanced  Sciences,  1889. 
President  of  Indiana  Academy  Sciences,  1891.  Au- 
thor of  various  papers  published  in  "  Proceedings 
of  the  United  States  National  Museum,"  "  Bulletin 
United  States  Fish  Commission,"  "American  Nat- 
uralist," etc.,  on  fishes,  batrachians,  reptiles,  etc.; 
also  of  a  report  to  State  Geologist  on  the  "  Batra- 
chians and  Reptiles  of  Indiana  ;  "  also  of  a  report 
to  State  Geologist  of  Arkansas  on  the  "Batrachians 
and  Reptiles  of  Arkansas."  At  present  Honorary 
Fellow  in  department  of  Palaeontology  in  Univer- 
sity of  Chicago. 


174  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 


D.    M.    BLAIR. 

D.  M.  Blair  was  born  near  Elizaville,  Flem- 
ing county,  Kentucky,  Thursday,  January  17, 
1839.  His  father  was  of  Irish  and  his  mother  of 
French  descent.  He  entered  Ohio  University  as  a 
student  in  1857  and  was  graduated  from  the  same 
in  June,  1863.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  accepted 
the  professorship  of  ancient  languages  in  Flem- 
ingsburg  College,  Flemingsburg,  Kentucky,  where 
he  was  associated  with  Hon.  John  A.  Brooks. 

In  June,  1864,  was  elected  professor  of  ancient 
languages  in  Battle  Ground  Collegiate  Institute,  at 
Tippecanoe  Battle  Ground,  Indiana,  and  in  1866 
was  made  president  of  the  same.  In  1867  removed 
to  Ladoga,  Indiana,  and  taught  in  Ladoga  Acad- 
emy. 

In  1873  came  to  Eureka  College  and  remained 
till  1878.  In  the  fall  of  1882  was  elected  superin- 
tendent of  schools  in  Mason  county,  Illinois,  and 
served  four  years,  living  in  Havana.  Since  Decem- 
ber, 1886,  he  has  lived  in  the  quiet  village  of  To- 
peka,  Illinois,  and  taught  most  of  the  years  in  the 
public  schools  of  Mason  county. 

God  blessed  him  in  large  measure  with  the  gift 
of  song,  and  in  its  exercise  he  has  served  faithfully 
his  day  and  generation. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  175 

JAMES     KIRK. 

James  Kirk  is  of  Scotch-Irish  parentage,  and  is 
forty-five  years  of  age.  His  father  was  character- 
ized by  industry,  frugality  and  sobriety  ;  his  moth- 
er by  self-reliance  and  integrity ;  both  by  piety. 
These  qualities  were  his  heritage. 

Because  of  the  long  illness  and  early  death  of 
his  father,  his  youth  was  oppressed  by  poverty  and 
hard  work,  which,  combined  with  close  study, 
overtaxed  even  a  vigorous  body. 

He  worked  as  a  farm-hand,  carpenter,  school 
teacher,  to  obtain  the  means  of  procuring  collegi- 
ate instruction.  He  entered  Eureka  College  in 
1867,  and  was  graduated  in  1871.  In  the  meantime 
he  was  a  student  of  law,  but  chose  the  work  of 
education  as  a  life  employment. 

After  a  successful  experience  as  principal  of 
schools,  he  was  called,  in  1876,  to  teach  natural 
and  physical  science  in  Eureka  College.  He  gave 
the  institution  eight  years  of  faithful  service,  re- 
signing in  1883  to  give  more  time  to  the  county 
superintendency  of  schools,  a  work  which  he  had 
undertaken  in  1881.  This  office  he  resigned  in 
1889  to  become  superintendent  of  schools  in  Pe- 
kin.  He  served  the  schools  of  this  city  until  call- 
ed to  be  assistant  State  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction  in  1891.  To  the  value  of  his  service  in 
this  office,  the  State  Superintendent  has  given  high- 


176  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

ly  appreciative  expression  in  his  last  State  report. 

In  addition  to  his  school  duties  Mr.  Kirk  has 
taught  for  several  years,  from  the  pulpit,  the  way 
of  the  Lord  ;  and  the  fruit  of  this  labor  is  a  reward 
of  inestimable  value. 

Mr.  Kirk  was  happily  married  in  1874,  and  has 
had  live  affectionate  children.  God  has  blessed 
him. 

CARL    JOHANN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Chaux- 
de-Fonds,  Switzerland,  March  2,  1849.  The  place 
of  his  birth  is  in  the  Jura  Mountains,  only  a  few 
miles  from  the  boundary  line  between  Switzerland 
and  France,  and  here,  among  the  beautiful  scenes 
of  the  marvelously  grand  Swiss  landscape,  he  spent 
the  first  fifteen  years  of  his  life.  His  parents,  Al- 
bert and  Mathilda  Johann,  who  were  only  in  mod- 
erate circumstances,  required  nothing  of  their  chil- 
dren except  that  they  should  attend  school  faith- 
fully and  labor  diligently  to  secure  an  education. 
This  the  children  seemed  to  do  cheerfully.  Carl 
entered  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city  at  the 
age  of  six,  and  when  he  was  fifteen  years  old  he 
graduated  from  the  high  school.  Up  to  this  time 
he  had  attended  school  eleven  months  each  year 
without  interruption,  for,  in  that  country,  the  only 
vacations  students  ever  got  were  two  weeks  at 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  ill 

Christmas  and  two  weeks  in  August.  In  this  city 
nearly  all  the  people  speak  both  French  and  Ger- 
man, consequently  the  children  learn  both  lan- 
guages simultaneously  without  knowing  it.  There 
it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  children  at  play  to 
ask  a  question  in  French  and  to  receive  an  answer 
in  German  without  having  the  least  idea  that  two 
languages  have  been  used. 

Having  graduated  from  the  high-school,  his  pa- 
rents sent  him  at  once  to  the  famous  college  of 
Lausanne,where  he  made  an  excellent  record,select- 
ing  mathematics  and  language  as  his  major  studies. 
Having  developed  a  marked  fondness  for  mathe- 
matics and  mathematical  drawing,  he  here  decided 
to  prepare  himself  more  specially  to  become  a  civil 
engineer.  At  the  age  of  18,  having  completed  the 
course  in  Lausanne,  he  became  a  student  in  the 
University  of  Aaran  and  afterwards  in  Zurich,  all 
in  Switzerland.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  with  the 
consent  of  his  parents,  he  went  to  Paris,  France, 
where  he  studied  for  a  time,  and  when  he  was  not 
yet  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  decided  to  emigrate 
to  the  United  States,  where  better  opportunities 
are  offered  to  young  men  of  energy  and  educa- 
tion than  anywhere  else  in  the  world. 

Though  he  had  devoted  much  time  to  the  study 
of  ancient  languages  and  to  German,  French,  Ital- 
ian and  Spanish,  he  had  never  studied  English, 

and  he  landed  in  New  York,  as  many  have  done 
12 


178  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

in  the  past  and  as  many  will  do  in  the  future, 
without  knowing  one  word  of  the  language  spok- 
en by  the  people  among  whom  he  had  decided  to 
live.  He  did  not  have  a  single  friend  or  relative 
on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  and  was  therefore  thrown 
entirely  upon  his  own  resources. 

Knowing  that  his  slender  pocket-book  would  not 
sustain  him  long  in  idleness,  he  left  New  York  two 
days  after  landing,  going — he  did  not  know  where 
— looking  for  something  to  do  to  make  an  honest 
living.  In  a  few  days  he  arrived  in  Collinsville, 
Connecticut,  where  he  was  hired  as  a  farm  hand  by 
a  refined,  religious  and  highly  cultured  Yankee 
who  had  made  a  fortune  through  his  genius  as  an 
inventor. 

It  is  very  probable  that  the  new  immigrant  did 
not  make  a  model  farm-hand,  for  he  had  never 
done  a  day's  work  on  a  farm  in  his  life,  but  he  was 
willing  to  learn  both  how  to  farm  among  the  stony 
hills  of  New  England  and  how  to  speak  the  Eng- 
lish language.  The  retired  capitalist  and  farmer 
for  whom  Carl  Johann  began  to  work,  soon  discov- 
ered that  his  hand  had  had  excellent  educational  ad- 
vantages, in  fact  that  he  had  as  good  an  education 
as  he  had  himself,  and  they  soon  became  warm 
and  intimate  friends.  To  show  how  easy  it  is  to 
learn  a  new  language  when  one  already  knows 
several  others,  it  is  sufficient  to  state  here  that 
three  months  after  landing  in  America,he  had  learn- 


1  B.  J.  Kadford. 

2  A.  M.  Weston. 


3  J.  M.  Allen. 

4  Carl  Johann. 


BIO  GRAPHICAL .  179 

ed  English  sufficiently  well  to  be  engaged  as  pri- 
vate tutor,  for  his  four  children,  by  the  very  man  for 
whom  he  had  been  working  on  the  farm.  His  field 
of  activity  was  transferred  from  the  farm  to  the 
comfortable  sitting-room,  and  here,  with  salary 
doubled,  he  began  his  career  as  a  teacher.  Of 
course,  all  the  teaching  had  to  be  done  in  English, 
as  the  pupils  knew  no  other  language,  and  the 
teacher  who  three  months  before  did  not  know  one 
word  of  English  was  now,  among  many  other 
branches,  actually  teaching  English  grammar. 

He  remained  in  this  family  thirteen  months,  and 
the  work  done  during  that  time  was  eminently  satis- 
factory to  all  parties  concerned.  Dr.  Johann  left  that 
place  in  the  summer  of  1870  to  go  West  and  grow 
up  with  the  country.  Not  until  1894  did  he  again 
meet  with  the  gentleman  whose  children  he  taught 
in  Connecticut.  Then  he  came  to  Eureka  to  make 
his  former  farm  hand  a  visit,  and  stated  that  the 
year  of  instruction  given  at  that  time  to  his  chil- 
dren directed  their  thoughts  into  right  paths  and 
started  them  on  the  road  to  usefulness  and  success. 

From  Connecticut  the  young  teacher  went  to 
Chicago  by  way  of  Niagara  and  the  great  lakes. 
After  suffering  many  disappointments  in  that 
city,  and  after  having  been  out  of  employment 
nearly  three  months,  he  secured  employment  as  a 
surveyor  with  a  railroad  company  intending  to 
build  a  road  from  Houston  to  Austin,  Texas.  He 


180  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

left  Chicago  without  further  delay  in  company 
with  twelve  other  surveyors  and  reached  Houston, 
Texas,  by  way  of  New  Orleans  and  Galvestori,  in 
the  fall  of  1870.  From  Houston  they  traveled  in  ox- 
carts a  distance  of  nearly  one  hundred  miles  to 
their  destination,  a  point  twenty-five  miles  east  of 
Austin,  from  which  point  the  road  was  to  be  sur- 
veyed to  the  capital. 

The  work  was  done  in  six  months,  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  company,  and  this  surveying  party 
had  the  honor  of  preparing  the  way  for  the  first 
railroad  that  entered  the  capital  of  Texas. 

The  sojourn  of  the  surveying  party  was  not 
altogether  uneventful,  for  they  were  working  in  a 
practically  uninhabited  wilderness  arid  were  twice 
attacked  by  Indians,  two  of  the  surveyors  being 
killed  in  one  of  the  encounters,  but  Carl  Johann 
came  through  unharmed. 

Returning  to  Illinois,  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
went  to  Menard  county,  near  Tallula,  where  he 
warked  on  a  farm  for  a  few  months,  and  then  was  of- 
fered a  position  as  teacher  in  a  country  school  at 
$35  a  month. 

His  work  was  so  successful  that  in  less  than  two 
years  he  was  receiving  the  highest  salary  paid  to 
any  teacher  in  the  county,  and  had  just  been  of- 
fered the  principalship  of  the  High  School  in 
Petersburg,  the  capital  of  Menard  county,  when, 
in  the  summer  of  1876,  he  was  offered  the  profes- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  181 

sorship  of  Modern  Languages  in  Eureka  College. 
As  college  work  suited  him  better  than  public 
school  work,  he  accepted  the  position  and  immedi- 
ately moved  to  Eureka,  where  he  began  teaching 
in  September  of  the  same  year. 

For  the  last  eighteen  years  he  has  been  constant- 
ly identified  with  Eureka  College  as  a  teacher.  In 
1886  he  was  elected  Acting  President,  and  in  1887, 
when  Dr.  Allen  resigned  the  Presidency,  Carl  Jo- 
hann  was  elected  President  by  the  unanimous  vote 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  he  is  ,still  filling  that 
office  at  this  writing. 

In  October,  1889,  Carl  Johann  was  married  to 
Miss  Georgina  Callender,  daughter  of  George  Cal- 
lender,  a  former  President  of  Eureka  College,  and 
they  have  been  blessed  with  four  children,  Helen, 
Agnes,  George  and  Albert,  all  of  whom  are  living. 

Dr.  Johann's  parents  being  Lutherans,  he  was 
sprinkled  when  seven  days  old  (he  still  has  a 
certificate  from  the  pastor  of  the  church  certifying 
to  this)  and  was  "confirmed"  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen. While  teaching  in  Tallula,  Menard  county, 
Illinois,  in  1872,  he  had  the  privilege  of  attending 
a  protracted  meeting  held  by  Brother  D.  R.  Lucas, 
now  of  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  was  convinced  of 
athe  better  way,"  made  the  "good  confession"  and 
was  baptized  in  the  manner  commanded  by  the 
Scriptures.  Tallula  had  a  strong  congregation  at 
that  time  and  their  pastor  was  one  of  the  most  elo- 


182  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

quent,  logical  and  convincing  pulpit  orators  in  the 
Brotherhood.  He  was  none  other  than  W.  D. 
Owen,  who  has  since  been  member  of  Congress 
from  Indiana,  having  served  three  terms,  and  who 
was  appointed  Commissioner  of  Immigration  by 
President  Harrison.  For  more  than  one  year  the 
new  convert  listened  weekly  to  the  "pure  Gospel" 
as  it  was  presented  by  that  eminent  man  of  God, 
and  was  thoroughly  taught  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
Restoration. 

President  Johann  has  been  quite  an  extensive 
traveler.  During  the  last  five  years  he  has  been 
in  Europe  twice,  visiting  England,  Scotland  and 
Ireland,  besides  all  the  important  cities  on  the 
Continent,  from  Paris  to  Rome  and  Constantinople. 
He  has  also  been  in  the  West  Indies  three  times, 
visiting  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Hayti,  San  Domingo,  Porto- 
Rico  and  many  of  the  smaller  Antilles.  In  the 
United  States  he  has  been  in  nearly  every  State 
from  Canada  to  the  Gulf  and  from  the  Rocky  moun- 
tains to  Maine.  Knowing  how  to  travel,  he  has 
gathered  up  many  valuable  facts  and  incidents, 
which  he  gave  to  the  students  in  a  series  of  about 
twenty  interesting  lectures. 

His  disposition  is  well  adapted  to  the  manage- 
ment of  a  large  number  of  young  people,  and  he 
has  never  had  any  serious  difficulties  with  the  stu- 
dents. Under  his  system  of  government,  students 
are  largely  controlled  by  calling  on  their  own  ap- 


1  H.  O.  Neweomb. 

2  E.  W.  Dickinson. 


3  A.  J.  Youngblood. 

4  Jas.  Kirk. 


BIO  GEAPHICAL .  183 

preciation  of  the  right  and  on  their  own  sense  of 
honor. 

ELIJAH     W.    DICKINSON. 

E.  W.  Dickinson  was  born  in  Christian  county, 
Kentucky,  July  18, 1835.  His  parents,  Elijah  and 
Mary  A.  Dickinson,  and  family  moved  to  Illinois 
the  following  October  and  settled  on  a  farm,  now 
owned  by  R.  B.  Dickinson,  about  two  miles  south 
of  where  Eureka  is  now  situated.  Here  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  spent  his  youth  and  early  manhood, 
working  on  the  farm  during  the  farming  season 
and  attending  school  in  the  winter  time.  He  com- 
menced his  career  as  a  teacher,  by  teaching  a  dis- 
trict school  in  White  Oak  Grove  during  the  winter 
of  1855  and  '56.  The  next  September  he  entered 
Eureka  College  as  a  student  and  continued  there 
until  he  graduated  in  1860.  For  several  years  fol- 
lowing this,  most  of  the  time  was  spent  either  in 
farming  or  in  teaching,  the  greater  part  of  the 
latter  being  done  in  or  near  Eureka,  having  taught 
years  in  the  public  schools  of  the  village  and  two 
years  in  Eureka  College  as  Professor  of  Mathemat- 
ics. In  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  he  served  as  First 
Lieutenant  of  Co.  C,  139th  Reg.  111.  Vol.  Infantry. 
On  the  5th  day  of  September,  1861,  he  married 
Miss  Anna  M.  Dennis,  with  whom  he  lived  happily 
until  she  died,  March  8,  1889. 

Mr.  Dickinson  is  now  a  citizen  of  Eureka,  Illinois, 


184  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

and  takes  a  lively  interest  in  all  affairs  pertaining 
to  religion,  education  and  politics. 

A.    J.    YOUNGBLOOD. 

Andrew  Jackson  Youngblood  was  born  near 
Veedersbiirgh,  Fountain  county,  Indiana,  January 
27,  1843.  Graduated  at  Depauw  University,  Green- 
castle,  Indiana,  in  1869.  Professor  of  Latin  and 
History  in  Howard  College,  Kokomo,  Indiana,  in 
1872.  Took  the  chair  of  Ancient  Languages  in 
Columbia  Christian  College,  Columbia,  Kentucky, 
in  1876.  In  1879  was  called  to  the  same  position 
in  South  Kentucky  College,  Hopkinsville,  Kentucky. 
Was  elected  President  of  West  Kentucky  College 
in  1880  and  served  one  year.  From  1831  to  1891 
held  the  chair  of  Ancient  Languages  and  of  Latin 
and  History  in  Eureka  College.  Now  a  resident 
of  Kokomo,  Indiana. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TEACHEBS   FROM  1880    TO  1894. 

N.  L.  Richmond — J.  V.  Coomba — F.  M.  Bruner — Henry  Lane 
Bruner— W.  S.  Errett— S.  E.  Meek— H.  N.  Herrick— G.  W. 
Hootman— James  Chalmers — Sina  Stickel  Thomas — H.  A. 
Minassian — Roland  Ellsworth  Conklin — B.  C.  Deweese — J.  M. 
Atwater — R.  E.  Hieronymus. 

N.    L.    RICHMOND. 

N.  L.  Richmond  was  born  near  Rising  Sun,  In- 
diana, Ohio  county,  August  29,  1856.  His  father 
of  English  and  mother  of  Dutch  descent.  Both 
parents  descended  from  first  settlers.  He  had  the 
advantage  of  a  common  school  education ;  worked 
at  the  carpenter's  trade  until  21  years  of  age.  He 
then  began  a  course  of  study  in  the  Indiana  State 
Normal  School  at  Terre  Haute,  with  a  view  to 
teaching.  Taught  in  the  public  schools  of  Indiana 
for  six  terms  of  six  months  each,  spending  the  in- 
tervals in  college.  Was  a  student  in  the  Normal 
College  at  Danville,  Indiana,  when  the  president 
had  a  call  from  Eureka  College  for  a  teacher  of 

commerce  and  kindred  branches.      Owing  to  his 

(185) 


186  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

proficiency  in  this  work,  at  the  request  of  the  Fac- 
ulty, he  accepted  the  position. 

He  was  employed  in  the  above  College  four  years, 
after  which  he  engaged  to  teach  in  the  Commercial 
department  of  Grand  Prairie  Seminary,  Onarga, 
Illinois.  Was  in  this  school  five  years. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Theona  Ward  of  Kent- 
land,  Indiana,  June  18th,  1889. 

June  1st,  1892,  he  took  a  half  interest  in  the  Ot- 
tawa Business  University,  Ottawa,  Illinois,  where 
he  now  resides. 

j.  v.   COOMBS. 

J.  V.  Coombs  was  born  on  the  farm  in  Boone 
county,  Indiana.  In  1867  he  entered  the  academy, 
Ladoga,  Indiana.  He  began  teaching  in  1868.  In 
1870  he  became  a  student  at  Northwestern  Chris- 
tian University,  where  he  remained  two  years.  In 
1873  he  entered  Eureka  College.  After  teaching 
several  years  in  the  public  schools,  in  1879  he  was 
elected  to' the  presidency  of  the  Indiana  Normal 
College,  Ladoga,  which  position  he  held  two  years. 
In  1882  he  graduated  in  the  Classical  department 
of  Chicago  University.  In  the  fall  of  1883  he  was 
elected  to  the  chair  of  Literature  and  History  in 
Eureka  College.  In  1885  he  entered  the  lecture 
field  and  achieved  much  renown  as  a  platform  lec- 
turer, filling  engagements  in  forty  States  and  Terri- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  187 

tories.  In  1889  he  became  a  general  evangelist  for 
the  Christian  church,  in  which  calling  he  continues 
up  to  this  date.  He  preached  one  hundred  and  eighty 
nights  without  the  loss  of  one  night.  After  a  few 
days  rest  he  started  again  and  spoke  one  hundred 
and  ninety  nights  in  succession.  Thousands  have 
been  added  to  the  church  under  his  preaching.  In 
the  last  four  months  he  has  added  four  hundred 
and  fifty.  In  1888  he  was  married  to  Miss  Allie 
Marlatt,  Covington,  Indiana.  God  has  blessed 
them  with  one  little  girl.  They  now  reside  in  Irv- 
ington,  Indiana. 

F.    M.    BRUNEB. 

Francis  Marion  Bruner  was  born  in  Breckenridge 
county,  Kentucky,  December  28,  1833,  of  parents 
who  were  of  pure  German  descent.  He  entered 
Knox  College  at  Galesburg,  Illinois,  in  1851  and 
took  a  thorough  classical  course,  graduating  in 
1857.  Next  year  was  spent  in  teaching  and  preach- 
ing at  Henderson,  Illinois.  He  married  Esther 
Lane  in  the  spring  of  1858  and,  accompanied  by 
her,  soon  went  to  Europe  to  pursue  his  studies.  He 
spent  two  years  at  the  Royal  University  at  Halle, 
Prussia,  where  he  came  in  contact  with  Professor 
Tholuck,  some  months  in  Berlin,  followed  by  a 
tour  from  Cologne  to  Manheim,  thence  to  Lake 
Constance,  and  through  Switzerland  to  Paris,  where 


188  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

he  spent  five  months  in  L'Ecole  de  Paris,  returning 
to  the  United  States  after  an  absence  of  three 
years.  During  the  first  three  years  after  his  return 
he  evangelized  in  Knox,  Warren  and  Henderson 
counties  of  Illinois.  In  the  summer  of  1863  he  was 
commissioned  a  captain  in  Co.  A,  7th  Reg.  U.  S. 
Colored  Infantry,  and  served  in  Southern  States  one 
year,  when  he  was  discharged  for  "disability  caus- 
ed by  his  arduous  and  faithful  services." 

In  1865  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  at  Mon- 
month,  Illinois,  where  he  was  minister  five  years, 
serving  one  year  in  the  Legislature  of  the  State 
during  that  time. 

In  1870  he  was  elected  President  of  Oskaloosa 
College,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  1876, 
when  he  was  called  to  the  presidency  of  Abingdon 
College,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  until  the  union 
of  Abingdon  and  Eureka  Colleges,  in  1885.  Then 
he  moved  to  Eureka  and  had  charge  of  the  Bible 
department  from  1885  to  1886,  when  on  account  of 
failing  health  he  was  compelled  to  resign  and  seek 
rest  and  a  more  healthful  climate.  These  he  found 
on  a  mesa  in  northwestern  Texas,  and  while  still 
continuing  his  ranch  life,  he  preaches  at  El  Paso, 
Texas,  every  Lord's  day. 

HENRY     LANK     BRUNER. 

Born  in  Knox  county,  Illinois,  1861 ;  graduated 
from  Abingdon  College,  classical  course,  in  1880 ; 


1  F.  M.  Bruner. 

2  H.  L.  Bruner. 


3  W.  S.  Errett. 

4  H.  A.  Minassian. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  189 

spent  the  year  1880-81  in  the  Sheffield  Scientific 
School  of  Yale  University,  and  the  following  year 
began  teaching  natural  sciences  in  Abingdon  Col- 
lege ;  during  the  summers  of  1881  to  1884  was  em- 
ployed, also,  as  assistant  on  the  United  States  Fish 
Commission  ;  in  1884,  when  Eureka  and  Abingdon 
Colleges  were  consolidated,  was  elected  to  the  chair 
of  Natural  Science  at  Eureka  ;  in  1886  resigned  on 
account  of  failing  health  and  spent  the  following 
years  recuperating  in  Colorado  and  Texas  ;  in  1890 
married  Miss  Carolyn  L.  Aumock,  of  Colorado 
Springs ;  elected  to  chair  of  Biology  and  Geology 
in  Drake  University  in  1891,  and  the  following 
year  removed  to  his  present  home  at  Irvington, 
Indiana,  to  occupy  a  similar  position  in  Butler 
University. 

W.    S.    ERRETT. 

W.  S.  Errett  was  born  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania, August  6,  1841.  He  is  of  English-Irish- 
Scotch  descent.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  years  his 
father  removed  with  his  family  to  Knox  county, 
Ohio,  where  young  Errett  had  seven  years'  experi- 
ence in  farm  life. 

In  the  fall  of  1862  he  entered  the  army,  serving 
as  a  private  in  the  65th  Reg.  Ohio  Vol.  Infantry. 
Soon  after  returning  from  this  service  he  entered 
Bethany  College,  and  was  graduated  from  there 


190  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

with  the  degree  A.  B.  in  June,  1871.  In  Septem- 
ber of  the  same  year  he  began  his  chosen  work  of 
teaching,  in  charge  of  the  public  schools  at  Madi- 
son, Ohio.  His  father  dying  the  next  spring,  he 
returned  to  Knox  county.  Was  married  to  Selena 
H.  Bakewell  at  Normal,  Illinois,  February  27, 1873. 
The  same  year  was  chosen  elder  of  the  church  at 
Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio,  and  soon  after  began  preaching 
at  their  instance. 

Removed  to  Missouri  in  1878;  to  Greenville, 
Illinois,  in  1880 ;  to  the  chair  of  Mathematics  in 
Abingdon  College  in  1881  ;  thence  to  the  same 
work  in  Eureka  in  the  fall  of  1884.  Since  then 
has  taught  in  Ash  Grove,  Missouri,  and  preached 
in  Kansas  and  Illinois,  and  is  now  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Carbondale,  Illinois. 

s.  E.  MEEK. 

Seth  E.  Meek  was  born  near  Hicksville,  Defiance 
county,  Ohio,  at  1  o'clock  A.  M.,  April  1,  1859.  He 
is  of  Welsh  Anglo-Saxon  ancestry.  Was  brought 
up  on  a  farm.  After  leaving  the  High  School  spent 
four  terms  in  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  Normal.  Then 
spent  three  years  in  Indiana  State  University,  at 
Bloomington,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1884. 

He  held  the  Cornell  Fellowship  in  Cornell  Uni- 
versity, Ithica,  N.  Y.,  in  1885-6.  Taught  in  Eureka 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  191 

College  from  January  1887  to  January  1888,  and 
in  Coe  College  from  January,  1888,  till  February, 
1892,  wheu  he  was  called  to  his  present  position  of 
Adjunct  Professor  and  Curator  of  Museum  in  the 
department  of  Biology  and  Geology  in  Arkansas 
Industrial  University  at  Fayetteville. 

He  has  been  temporary  assistant  to  the  United 
States  Fish  Commission  ever  since  his  graduation, 
and  has  conducted  for  it  Scientific  exploring  par- 
ties in  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Missouri,  Arkansas  and 
Indian  Territory  during  summer  vacations.  Was 
also  member  of  a  party  under  Dr.  D.  S.  Jordan  in 
the  Virginias  and  the  Carolinas,  and  has  publish- 
ed a  number  of  scientific  papers. 

His  degrees  are  from  Indiana  University — B.  S. 
in  1884  ;  M.  S.  in  1886  ;  Ph.  D.  in  1891. 

He  became  a  Christian  March  5,  1877,  and  was 
married  to  Miss  Ella  Tourner,  of  Bloomington, 
Indiana,  December  25,  1886. 

H.    N.    HERRICK. 

Horace  Nelson  Herrick  was  born  in  Lewis  coun- 
ty, Kentucky,  August  24,  1862.  His  father,  George 
W.  Herrick,  was  born  in  Vermont,  and  was  of  good 
old  Puritan  extraction ;  his  mother,  Josephine 
Hendrickson,  was  of  Irish  descent. 

In  1864  the  family  moved  to  Manchester,  Ohio, 
and  in  1865,  on  account  of  the  father's  failing 
health,  to  Wapella,  Illinois. 


192  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

When  eighteen  years  of  age,  Professor  Herrick 
taught  a  country  school.  He  entered  Eureka  Col- 
lege in  1881  and  graduated  in  '86.  The  two  years 
following  he  was  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  his 
Alma  Mater.  In  1888  he  became  a  student  at  Har- 
vard College,  graduating  there  in  1890.  Professor 
Herrick  is  a  self-made  man,  the  means  used  in 
procuring  his  education  having  been  obtained  by 
his  own  labor. 

He  was  married  July  29,  1890,  to  Miss  Mary  Mu- 
sick,  of  Eureka  Illinois.  They  have  two  sons. 

In  September,  1890,Professor  Herrick  took  charge 
of  the  Greek  department  of  Eureka  College,  which 
position  he  holds  at  present. 

G.  W.  HOOTMAN. 

G.  W.  Hootman  is  the  fifth  son  of  Christopher 
and  Sarah  Ann  (Winbigler)  Hootman.  Born  July 
29,  1861,  in  a  log  cabin  near  Hicksville,  Ohio,  his 
advent  into  the  world  at  that  time,  in  the  north- 
western part  of  the  State,  started  him  in  the  exper- 
iences of  the  early  pioneer  life  of  that  region.  He 
grew  to  young  manhood  among  the  deprivations 
incident  to  farm  life  in  a  new  country. 

His  ancestors  are,  for  the  most  part,  of  German- 
English  descent,  with  a  marked  tinge  of  Scotch 
blood,  and  have  transmitted,  as  a  rich  inheritance 
to  their  children,  the  hardy  physical  constitution 


1    G.  \V.  Hoot  man, 
'2    H.  N.  Herrick. 


3  R.  E    Hieronymus. 

4  K.  E.  Conklin. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  193 

of  the  former,  coupled  with  the  more  active  and 
vigorous  mentality  of  the  latter. 

When  old  enough  he  began  to  attend  the  country 
school  and,  of  course,  to  help  in  the  work  of  the 
farm.  This  he  continued  to  do  until  he  had  reach- 
ed his  twentieth  year.  His  time  in  school  had 
been  so  well  employed,  that,  with  the  addition  of 
a  few  weeks  of  special  preparation  at  the  Newville 
Academy,  Newville,  Indiana,  he  was  granted  a 
permit  to  teach,  and  taught  his  first  school,  near 
his  home,  during  the  winter  of  1880-1. 

After  this  he  immediately  began  his  work  as  a 
student  in  the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  School 
and  Business  Institute,  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  and 
continued  to  attend  school  and  teach  until  five 
years  later,  when  he  was  employed  as  principal 
and  instructor  of  the  Commercial  department  in 
the  Defiance  Normal  College,  Defiance,  Ohio.  The 
management  of  this  institution  not  proving  satis- 
factory, he  resigned  his  position,  and  after  two 
months  of  work  in  the  office  of  the  Defiance  Machine 
Works,  entered  upon  the  organization  of  a  Summer 
Normal  at  St.  Joe,  Indiana.  Before  his  term  had 
closed  he  was  engaged  as  manager  and  Principal 
of  the  Business  Department  of  Eureka  College,  a 
place  he  has  now  creditably  filled  for  seven  years. 

His  preparation  for  the  special  work  in  which  he 
is  now  engaged,  has  been  thorough,  and  is  further 
13 


194  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

supplemented  by  a  careful  study  of  numerous  cog- 
nate branches. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-five  years  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Clara  E.  Richardson  of  Farmer,  Ohio,  who 
has  proven  a  true  help-mate  to  him  in  their  eight 
years  of  wedded  life.  To  them  have  been  born 
three  loving  children ,  Beulah  Alice,  Helen  Mabel, 
and  Hugh  Donald. 

With  these  extra  gifts  of  God's  sunshine  to 
cheer  him,  and  the  consciousness  that  the  success 
of  the  past  may  only  foreshadow  the  possibility  of 
still  higher  achievements  and  greater  usefulness  in 
the  future,  he  can  hopefully  anticipate  the  brighter 
days  of  the  years  that  are  before  him. 

JAMES    CHALMERS. 

James  Chalmers  was  born  in  Ontario,  Canada, 
November  22,  1859.  He  is  of  Scotch-Irish  parent- 
age. In  his  seventh  year  his  parents  moved  to 
Grand  Rapids,  Michigan,  and  he  received  his  ele- 
mentary education  in  the  excellent  public  schools 
of  that  State.  He  was  afterwards  educated  at  the 
University  of  Michigan  and  Eureka  College,  the 
latter  institution  conferring  upon  him  successively 
the  degrees  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  and  Doctor  of  Phi- 
losophy. In  1892  Western  Michigan  College  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws. 

He  was  Professor  of  English  and  Philosophy  at 
Eureka  College  in  1887-89  and  was  then  elected  to 


1  D.  M.  Blair. 

2  J.  V.  Coombs. 


3  Jas.  Chalmers. 

4  S.  E.  Meek. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  195 

the  chair  of  English  Literature  at  Ohio  State  Uni- 
versity, a  position  which  he  still  holds. 

In  1888  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lizzie  Anderson 
of  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan,  then  a  student  in  the 
University  of  Michigan.  Two  children  have  been 
born  to  them — James  A.  and  William  Wallace. 
They  have  a  beautiful  and  happy  home  in  Colum- 
bus, Ohio,  with  one  of  the  largest  and  choicest 
libraries  of  English  literature  in  the  State. 

SINA    8TICKEL   THOMAS. 

Sina  Stickel  Thomas  was  born  in  Putnam  county, 
Illinois,  March  11,  1865.  Her  parents,  Hiram  and 
Sarah  Stickel,  were  both  of  English  descent.  The 
family  moved  to  Princeton,  Illinois,  in  1880.  Here 
she  attended  the  public  schools,  and  graduated  at 
the  township  High  School  in  1886.  She  entered 
the  School  of  Oratory,  Northwestern  University, 
in  the  fall  of  1886  ;  received  her  diploma  from  this 
department  in  the  spring  of  1888,  and  was  engaged 
as  teacher  of  Elocution  in  Eureka  College  the  fol- 
lowing fall. 

She  was  married  to  L.  R.  Thomas, September  10, 
1890,  and  resigned  her  work  as  teacher  in  the  col- 
lege in  the  fall  of  1891,  having  served  the  institu- 
tion three  years. 

She  now  resides  at  Milford,  Illinois,  where  her 
husband  is  pastor  of  the  Christian  Church. 


196  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

H.    A.    MINASSIAN. 

Harootune  Avedis  Minassian  was  born  June  13, 
1867,  atSevas,  Turkey,  from  pure  Armenian  par- 
entage. In  1879  he  completed  the  high  school 
course  of  the  missionary  school  in  Sevas,  the  same 
year  filling  a  vacancy  in  the  staff  of  teachers  in 
that  school. 

Prom  1880  to  1886  he  studied  at  Central  Turkey 
College,  nearly  completing  the  Scientific  course, 
and  graduated  from  the  Medical  department. 

Spent  the  summer  of  1885  traveling  in  Mesopo- 
tamia ;  was  assistant  to  Surgeon  F.  D.  Shepherd  at 
Aleppo  in  1886  until  the  fall,  then  came  to  Ameri- 
ca. Entered  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  as 
a  graduate  student  and  obtained  its  degree  in 
March,  1887 ;  served  as  physician  to  two  of  the 
dispensaries  of  the  New  York  Medical  Missionary 
Society  until  September  of  that  year,  when  he  came 
to  Eureka  College.  Entered  the  Biblical  depart- 
ment. Received  the  degree  of  B.  S.  in  1889,  B.  S. 
and  B.  S.  L.  in  1890.  The  same  year  accepted  the 
position  of  Professor  of  Sacred  History  in  Eureka 
College,  in  which  capacity  he  has  since  served. 

He  was  joined  in  wedlock  with  Jessie  Bruner 
December  25,  1890. 

E.    E.     CONKLIN. 

Roland  Ellsworth  Conklin  was  born  at  Cham- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  197 

bersburg,  Illinois,  December  16,  1860,  of  New  Eng- 
land ancestry. 

He  attended  the  public  schools  until  his  father's 
death  in  1877. 

Two  years  later  he  entered  Abingdon  College, 
completing  the  academic  course  in  1883.  A  year 
later  he  entered  Eureka  College  and  graduated  in 
the  class  of  '86.  After  two  years'  teaching  in  the 
public  schools  he  was  elected  to  the  chair  of  Nat- 
ural Science  in  Eureka  College.  During  the  sum- 
mer of  '89  he  accompanied  a  Harvard  Geological 
party  on  a  tour  through  the  Eastern  and  Middle 
States.  Having  been  granted  leave  of  absence  from 
the  college,  for  the  further  study  of  Natural  His- 
tory, he  entered  Harvard  University  in  1891,  re- 
ceiving his  degree  the  following  year.  The  present 
year  is  being  spent  in  graduate  work  in  Zoology 
in  the  game  institution. 

B.  C.  DEWEESE. 

Benjamin  Cassel  Deweese  was  born  August  10, 
1851,  near  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  of  Kentucky  par- 
entage. The  toil  necessary  for  the  support  of  the 
family  deprived  him,  during  early  life,  of  most 
educational  privileges.  Self-instruction  partially 
made  good  this  loss. 

He  obeyed  the  gospel  in  February,  1867,  and 
was  baptized  by  Elder  Enos  Campbell.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1870,  he  entered  Kentucky  University  at 


198  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

Lexington,  Kentucky.  After  five  years  of  student 
life  he  graduated  in  June,  1876,  from  the  College 
of  the  Bible,  at  that  time  one  of  the  colleges  of  the 
university. 

His  life  has  been  devoted  to  the  ministry  and  to 
teaching.  At  the  first  his  preaching  was  divided 
between  general  work  and  serving  churches  in 
smaller  fields.  In  1879  he  located  at  Cadiz,  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  preached  for  four  years.  The 
next  church  to  which  all  his  time  was  given  was  at 
Henderson,  Kentucky.  From  this  field  he  was 
called  to  succeed  B.  J.  Radford  in  serving  the  Rich- 
mond Street  Church,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Thence  to 
Columbia,  Missouri,  from  which  church  he  remov- 
ed to  Eureka,  October,  1889,  to  become  Principal 
of  the  Biblical  department  in  the  college.  In  1876 
he  began  a  course  of  study  preparatory  to  the 
work  he  is  now  doing.  This  was  rigidly  pursued 
for  the  fourteen  years  which  passed  before  the  call 
to  Eureka  College. 

In  1881,  without  previous  consultation,  he  was 
elected  principal  of  the  Cadiz  High  School.  This 
spontaneous  call  was  accepted,  and  before  the 
school  year  closed  he  was  elected  to  the  chair  of 
Ancient  Languages  in  South  Kentucky  College, 
Hopkinsville,  Kentucky.  Soon  after  taking  this 
new  position  he  was  elected  President.  His  con- 
nection with  the  college  continued  until  the  build 
ings  were  burned,  when  he  accepted  the  care  of  the 


1  Sina  Stickel  Thomas. 

2  N.  L.  Richmond. 


3  B.  C.  Deweese. 

4  J.  M.  Afrwater. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  199 

church  at  Henderson,  Kentucky.  Besides  this  reg- 
ular work  a  number  of  young  men  received  private 
lessons  in  Greek  and  Latin  in  preparing  them- 
selves for  college.  Several  schools  have  secured 
his  services  for  part  of  his  time,  where  he  preach- 
ed, to  teach  classes  in  Greek  and  Latin. 

As  a  preacher  Professor  Deweese  has  always 
specially  labored  for  the  spiritual  growth  of  his 
congregations.  He  loves  teaching,  and  every  call 
for  such  work  has  come  without  solicitation  from 
him  or  his  friends. 

April  13,  1875,  he  married  Miss  R.  E.  Downing 
of  Lexington,  Kentucky.  They  have  had  but  one 
child,  whom  they  buried  several  years  ago.  His 
wife  has  devoted  her  life  towards  making  his  work 
a  success,  and  to  her  belongs  much  of  the  credit 
for  whatever  of  good  they  have  wrought. 

In  1890  he  was  called  to  take  charge  of  the  Bible 
department  of  Eureka  College,  which  position  he 
still  holds.  He  loves  his  class  work  and  is  emi- 
nently successful  in  it. 

J.  M.  ATWATER. 

John  Milton  Atwater  was  born  June  3, 1837,  at 
Mantua,  Portage  county,  Ohio.  His  four  grand- 
parents were  all  New  England  people. 

His  early  life  was  spent  on  the  farm,  where  milk- 
ing cows,  handling  horses,  chopping  wood,  hauling 


200  HISTORY  OF   EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

logs,  building  fences,  breaking  steers,  running 
sugar  camp  in  spring,  haying  and  harvesting  in 
summer,  gathering  apples  and  husking  corn  in 
fall,  and  going  to  school  in  winter,  made  every 
year  a  busy  one,  and  developed  brain  and  brawn 
for  the  work  of  life. 

The  religious  influence  under  which  he  grew  up 
was  earnest  and  devout.  His  father,  Darwin  At- 
water,  was  a  charter  member  and  officer  of  the 
first  church  of  Disciples  organized  in  northern 
Ohio,  at  Mantua.  His  mother,  Harriet  Clapp,  was 
a  charter  member  of  the  church  at  Mentor,  formed 
a  little  later. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  entered  what  is  now 
Hiram  College.  At  twenty-one  he  was  made  a 
member  of  the  faculty,  Mr.  Garfield  being  at  that 
time  President  of  the  school,  and  continued  there 
three  years.  He  began  preaching  in  1859  at 
Hiram.  In  1861  he  entered  Oberlin  College,  grad- 
uated in  1863,  and  then  took  a  two  years'  post- 
graduate course  there. 

In  1866  he  was  called  back  to  Hiram  to  be  the 
head  of  the  school  there,  and  continued  in  that  po- 
sition till  1870.  From  that  time  till  1887  he  gave 
his  time  almost  entirely  to  preaching,  holding  pas- 
torates in  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  Worcester,  Mass., 
Springfield,  111.,  and  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

In  1887  he  was  chosen  a  professor  in  Garfield 
University,  Wichita,  Kansas,  and  later  was  made 


BIOGBAPH1CAL.  201 

Dean  of  the  College  of  the  Bible  in  that  institu- 
tion. After  the  suspension  of  that  school,  he  was 
elected,  in  1891,  Professor  of  Latin  and  History  in 
Eureka  College,  Illinois.  From  there  he  was  call- 
ed in  1892  to  be  President  of  Oskaloosa  College, 
Iowa,  where  he  is  now  engaged. 

R.    E-    HIERONYMUS. 

The  ancestors  of  Robert  Enoch  Hieronymus 
came  originally  from  Germany  to  Virginia.  Emi- 
grated later  to  the  "Blue  Grass"  region,  Kentucky; 
then  came  to  Illinois  in  1828. 

His  parents,  Benjamin  R.  and  Susan  Mary 
(Mountjoy)  Hieronymus,  lived  in  Logan  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  was  born,  December  8,  1862. 

After  the  district  school,  he  attended  and  grad- 
uated from  Illinois  State  Normal  University,  and 
later  from  Eureka  College.  He  then  spent  one 
year  in  the  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor. 

His  mother  died  when  he  was  eleven  years  old, 
and  from  that  time  until  he  attained  his  majority 
he  lived  with  an  uncle,  Enoch  Hieronymus. 

Since  the  fall  of  1889  he  has  been  teaching  in 
Eureka  College,  in  the  department  of  English  Lan- 
guage and  Literature. 

He  was  married  June  26,  1890,  to  Minnie  Frantz, 
at  Wellington,  Kansas.  Two  children  bless  their 
home — Faith  Helene,  and  Frank  Mountjoy. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MUSIC  AND  ART  TEACHERS. 

Susie  Smith  Johnson— Belle  Johnson  Allen— Emma  Smith  DeVoe 
—Eugene  Plowe— Eva  M.  Wright— Ella  F.  Taylor— Emma  E. 
Page— W.  W.  Lauder— Mina  Vandervoort  Miller— J.  W.  Met- 
calf — Charles  W.  Campbell — Sarah  Garrett  Humphrey — Clara 
Hatch  Stevens — May  Irene  Burrows — Jessie  Bruner  Minas- 
sian. 

SUSIE   SMITH    JOHNSON. 

Susie  (Smith)  Johnson  was  born  January  14 ? 
1839.  Her  youth  was  spent  at  Bridgewater,  Ver- 
mont. She  completed  her  education  at  Ludlow 
Academy.  Came  West  in  1858  and  engaged  as  teach- 
er of  Music  in  Eureka  College,  giving  instruction  for 
several  years  before  and  after  marriage. 

Was  married  to  Professor  B.  H.  Johnson,  in  Ver- 
mont, August  11,  1862,  and  was  associated  with 
him  in  his  work  the  remaining  years  of  her  life. 

She  died,  beloved  by  all,  at  Oskaloosa,  Iowa, 
September  20,  1890. 

BELLE   JOHNSON   ALLEN. 

Belle  (Johnson)  Allen  was  born  February  20, 

(202) 


1  Susan  Smith  Johnson. 

2  Belle  Johnson  Alien. 

3  Laura  Fisher  Gibson. 


4  E.  H.  Plowe. 

5  Eva  Wright. 

6  Ella  F.Taylor. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  203 

1843,  at  Washington,  Illinois.  Was  graduated 
from  Eureka  College  in  1865. 

She  assisted  her  brother  in  the  Academy  at 
Williamsville,  N.  Y.,  shortly  after  graduation. 
Returning  to  Eureka  in  the  fall  of  1866  she  enter- 
ed upon  the  work  of  teacher  of  Music  in  the  col- 
lege. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  1867,  she  was  married  to 
John  W.  Allen,  removing  with  him  to  Johnstown, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  in  charge  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church.  In  April,  1868,  Mr.  Allen  being  call- 
ed to  the  charge  of  the  church  in  Omaha,  Nebraska, 
they  removed  thither,  where  Mrs.  Allen  died  in 
December  of  the  same  year. 

EMMA     SMITH    DE  VOE. 

Emma  Smith  was  born  in  Warren  county,  Illi- 
nois, in  1848.  In  1859  she  removed  with  her  par- 
ents to  Washington,  Tazewell  county,  Illinois, 
where  she  was  married  to  J.  H.  DeVoe  in  1880. 
She  received  a  very  liberal  education. 

Her  public  life  began  when  she  took  charge  of 
the  Music  department  in  Eureka  College  in  the 
year  1870,  where  she  taught  through  the  session  of 
1870-71. 

Whatever  success  she  has  attained  she  attrib- 
utes largely  to  influences  started  and  aspirations 
born  at  Eureka.  Especially  does  she  feel  herself 


204  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

indebted  to  Father  and  Mother  Darst,  and  she 
never  tires  of  singing  their  praises. 

In  1881  she  removed  with  her  husband  to  Huron, 
D.  T.,  where  they  remained  until  1891,  when  they 
came  to  Harvey,  Illinois. 

Mrs.  DeVoe  took  active  part  in  the  temperance 
wars  that  finally  made  two  prohibition  States  out 
of  Dakota  Territory.  In  1889  she  became  State 
Lecturer  for  the  Equal  Suffrage  Association.  She 
is  now  National  Lecturer  in  her  chosen  field.  She 
devotes  all  her  time  to  this  work  and  is  in  demand 
everywhere. 

EUGENE  PLOWE. 

Eugene  Plowe  was  born  May  17,  1851,  in  Wads- 
worth,  Medina  county,  Ohio.  He  is  of  German 
descent  on  his  Father's  side,  and  Canadian-Ameri- 
can on  his  mother's. 

Attended  Hiram  College,  and  later  taught  vocal 
music  there. 

Studied  Voice  under  the  celebrated  Carlo  Bas- 
sine,  and  Piano  under  A.  R.  Parsons  in  New  York. 

Took  charge  of  the  department  of  Music  in  Eu- 
reka College  in  September,  1871,  and  resigned  in 
the  summer  of  1877  to  locate  in  Peoria,  where  he 
has  been  engaged  in  teaching  Music  ever  since. 
He  is  no  v  President  of  the  Peoria  Conservatory  of 
Music,  which  is  just  closing  its  third  year. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  205 

EVA    M.     WRIGHT. 

Eva  M.  Wright,  daughter  of  S.  and  C.  A.  Wright, 
was  born  in  Indiana,  near  Rockville,  in  1859.  Her 
father  is  of  Welsh,  and  her  mother  of  Scotch  de- 
scent. She  removed  to  Eureka,  Illinois,  while  yet 
a  child,  entering  the  college  as  a  student  at  the 
age  of  13,  remaining  for  the  greater  part  of  four 
years,  after  which  she  took  a  two  years'  course  at 
Wesleyan  University,  Bloomington,  Illinois.  She 
studied  music  under  Professor  E.  H.  Plowe,  Pro- 
fessor J.  W.  Metcalf,  and  Professor  J.  R.  Gray,  all 
of  whom  were  connected  with  the  Musical  depart- 
ment of  Eureka  College. 

Miss  Wright  taught  music  in  the  college  during 
the  year  1878.  She  removed  to  Pittsburgh,  Kan- 
sas, in  1890,  where  she  is  still  engaged  in  teaching 
music. 

ELLA    F.    TAYLOR. 

Ella  F.  Taylor  was  born  at  Geneseo,  Illinois, 
March  2,  1854.  In  1868  removed  to  Brooklyn,  N". 
Y.,  and  while  there  made  a  specialty  of  the  study 
of  music,  under  such  instructors  as  Miss  Hanly, 
Professor  Albert  Rowse,  and  Professor  John  Zun- 
del. 

In  1875  returned  to  the  West.  After  several 
years  spent  in  teaching  music  in  Illinois  and  Kan- 


206  HI8TOEY  OF  EUEEKA   COLLEGE. 

sas,  went  to  Boston,  Mass.,  where  she  spent  three 
years  in  studying  and  teaching  music. 

In  1889  completed  the  Normal  course  of  Music 
in  public  schools,  and  in  1890  graduated  from  the 
Teacher's  Vocal  course  at  -the  New  England  Con- 
servatory of  Music. 

Is  now  located  in  Tempe,  Arizona. 

EMMA    E.    PAGE. 

Emma  E.  Page  was  born  at  Metamora,  Illinois, 
in  1852.  The  English,  Scotch  and  German  are  in- 
terwoven in  her  remote  ancestry.  The  Pages  were 
among  the  sturdy  planters  of  the  Plymouth  Col- 
ony. 

Her  father,  A.  N.  Page,  was  a  minister  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  and  her  mother  was  a  great 
worker  for  the  Master.  They  removed  to  Tazewell 
county  in  1856,  and  in  1874  went  to  Champaign, 
that  their  children  might  have  the  advantages  of 
the  State  University. 

Miss  Emma  graduated  there  in  1878,  taking  the 
honors  of  a  class  of  forty.  She  took  a  post-gradu- 
ate course  and  a  second  degree.  From  1879  to 
1881  she  was  the  music  teacher  in  Eureka  College. 
Later  she  taught  music  in  Ottawa,  Kansas,  and  in 
Kansas  City,  Missouri. 

In  1888  she  went  with  her  parents  to  Mannville, 
Wyoming,  which  is  still  her  home.  In  1892  she 


1  Emma  Page. 

2  J.  W.  Metcalf. 


5    Mina  Vandervort. 


3  W.  Waugh  Lander. 

4  Emma  Smith  DeVoe. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  207 

was  made  chairman  of  the  Prohibition  State  Cen- 
tral Committee,  and  she  is  now  in  the  lecture  field 
for  the  W.  C.  T.  U. 

W.  W.    LAUDER. 

W.  Waugh  Lauder  was  born  in  1856  in  Canada. 
He  is  of  Scotch,  Huguenot  and  German  descent — 
Armstrong  ("Belted  Will")  and  Brechleugh,  Scotch; 
the  famed  historian  Grotius,  German  ;  the  Hugue- 
not noble  De  Toof,  French.  His  father  was  a  well 
known  parliamentarian  and  barrister. 

Mr.  Lauder  has  been  pianist  of  the  Toronto,  Can- 
ada, "Philharmonic  Society ;  "  leader  of  the  Angli- 
can Choir  of  Leipzig,  Saxony ;  member  of  the  fam- 
ous "  Riedel  Verein  "  of  Leipzig ;  of  the  St.  Csecilia 
Society  of  Rome,  Italy ;  and  has  trained  choruses 
in  Bloomington,  Cincinnati  and  London. 

He  has  been  director  of  music  of  Helmuth  Col- 
lege, Canada ;  of  Eureka  College,  Illinois ;  of  Cin- 
cinnati Wesleyan  College,  and  Ohio  Conservatory 
of  Music,  Cincinnati ;  and  Professor  of  the  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Boston. 

He  is  now  a  leading  critic,  teacher  and  virtuoso 
of  Chicago ;  special  critical  correspondent  to  the 
Musical  Courier  from  Chicago  for  the  Columbian 
Exposition,  and  organist  and  choir-master  of  the 
Central  Church  of  Christ,  Chicago. 


208  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

MINA    VANDERVOORT  MILLER. 

Mrs.  Mina  Yandervoort  Miller  was  born  at  Cedar 
Point,  on  a  farm  near  Peru,  La  Salle  county,  111., 
June  26,  1863.  Her  father,  Dr.  I.  A.  Vandervoort, 
was  born  in  Ohio,  of  Holland  Dutch  and  German 
descent.  Her  mother,  Isabella  Noble,  was  born 
in  Ohio,  of  Scotch  and  French  descent,  whose  gen- 
ealogy is  traced  back  to  the  French  Huguenots 
who  left  their  country  and  went  to  Scotland,  and 
came  from  there  to  Maryland. 

Dr.  Vandervoort  and  family  moved  to  Tonica, 
Illinois,  in  1864,  where  they  lived  until  1890,  when 
they  moved  to  Normal. 

After  finishing  the  course  in  the  High  School  in 
Tonica,  Mrs.  Miller  went  to  Eureka  and  studied 
music  under  Professor  Metcalf,  and  painting  under 
Miss  Sadie  Garrett,  during  the  years  1882-3-4-5 
The  last  year  she  assisted  Miss  Garrett  in  the 
painting  department,  and  the  following  year 
studied  under  Mr.  Waldo,  a  well-known  artist  in 
Chicago.  In  1887-8  she  took  Miss  Garrett's  place 
in  the  Art  department  of  Eureka  College. 

In  May,  1891,  she  was  married  to  Mr.  G.  A. 
Miller,  an  alumnus  of  Eureka  College,  who  was 
then  preaching  in  Monroe,  Wisconsin.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1891,  he  was  called  to  succeed  Mr.  A.  P.  Cobb. 
pastor  of  the  Christian  Church  in  Normal,  Illinois, 
where  they  are  now  living. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  209 

J.  W.  METCALF. 

John  W.  Metcalf  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  having 
been  born  at  Waverly,  Morgan  county,  December 
10,  1856,  of  American  parents. 

At  an  early  age  he  developed  a  talent  for  music 
and  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  best  instructors 
obtainable.  His  literary  education  was  secured  at 
Knox  College,  Galesburg,  Illinois,  and  at  Chicago 
University,  Chicago.  He  took  charge  of  the  Music 
department  in  Eureka  College  in  September,  1874, 
and  remained  through  two  school  years.  In  the 
fall  of  1877  he  went  abroad  to  further  pursue  the 
study  of  music.  Was  accepted  as  a  regular  stu- 
dent at  the  Royal  Academy  of  Music,  at  Leipsic, 
Germany,  where  he  remained  four  years,  finishing 
with  honor,  and  was  awarded  a  prize  and  a  special 
diploma. 

On  his  return  to  America  he  again  took  up  the 
work  at  Eureka,  where  he  spent  several  years,  then 
taught  a  few  years  in  the  Boston  Conservatory  of 
Music. 

The  last  two  years  he  has  been  teaching  in  Le- 
land  Stanford,  Jr.,  University,  his  home  being  in 
Oakland,  California.  He  has  composed  quite  a 
number  of  works  for  the  piano  forte  that  have 
been  published,  and  has  been  quite  prominent  as 
a  public  performer. 

14 


210  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

CHARLES     W.    CAMPBELL. 

Charles  W.  Campbell  was  born  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  January  22,  1849.  He  was  a  son  of  George 
Campbell,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Reformation 
in  Indiana. 

Leaving  the  common  schools  he  spent  two  years 
in  Fairview  Academy  under  Professor  W.  M. 
Thrasher. 

He  served  a  few  months  in  the  army  in  1864  ; 
was  a  student  in  North  western  Christian  University 
in  1865-6-7 ;  became  a  student  in  Eureka  College 
in  1869,  and  graduated  with  the  class  of  '72.  Was 
at  once  employed  as  Professor  of  Drawing  and 
Painting.  Studied  law  and  was  admitted  to 
practice  at  Bloomington  in  1874. 

Was  married  March  30,  1875,  to  Miss  Jean  E. 
Neville,  a  graduate  of  Eureka  College.  They 
soon  removed  to  Tazewell  county,  and  thence  to 
Topeka,  Kansas,  which  is  now  their  home. 

At  Topeka  he  has  served  as  Assistant  in  the 
State  Adjutant  General's  office,  and  in  the  office 
of  the  Auditor  of  State,  and  is  now  in  the  United 
States  Pension  office  at  Topeka. 

His  best  work  has  been  rendered  to  the  church. 
In  season  and  out  of  season  he  has  served  it  well. 
As  treasurer,  he  has  systematized'  the  business 
management  until  the  church  in  Topeka  is  a  model 
in  the  administration  of  its  business  affairs.  As 


1  C.  W.  Campbell. 

2  Sadie  Garrett  Humphrey. 


3  Emma  Hatch  Stevens. 

4  Jessie  Bruner  Minassian. 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  211 

Elder  of  the  church  he  is  chairman  of  the  Official 
Board,  and  has  always  maintained  harmony  and 
unity  in  its  work. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Kansas  State  Board  of 
Missions,  and  its  treasurer,  and  is  greatly  useful 
in  its  business  management  and  methods. 

B.  L.  8. 

SAKAH  GARRETT  HUMPHREY. 

> 

Sarah  Jeanne  Garrett  was  born  July  26,  1860,  at 
Peoria,  Illinois.  She  was  the  second  daughter  of 
Auren  and  Wilhelmina  Garrett,  being  of  Scotch 
descent  on  her  mother's  side,  while  her  father  was 
a  native  of  New  York  State. 

From  childhood  she  chose  an  artist's  life,  com- 
mencing her  life  work  at  the  age  of  eighteen.  At 
the  age  of  twenty  she  took  charge  of  the  Art  de- 
partment in  Eureka  College,  remaining  four  con- 
secutive years.  After  an  absence  of  one  year  she 
returned,  continuing  until  her  marriage  to  Andrew 
B.  Humphrey,  when  she  went  West.  Still  follow- 
ing her  chosen  profession,  she  became  Directress 
of  the  Art  department  at  Hall  Institute,  Iowa.  In 
1889  she  returned  to  Illinois,  and  is  now  in  Chi- 
cago. 

CLARA    HATCH    STEVENS. 

Mrs.  Clara  Hatch  Stevens  was  born  in  Harrods- 
burg,  Kentucky,  April  22,  1855,  of  English  descent 


212  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

on  her  father's  side,  and  French  on  her  mother's. 
Was  graduated  from  Jacksonville  (Illinois)  Fe- 
male Academy  in  1873.  Afterwards  took  a  post- 
graduate course  at  Hamilton  College,  Lexington, 
Kentucky.  Studied  Art  during  the  entire  time  at 
these  institutions  under  the  best  teachers ;  and 
afterwards  at  the  Art  Students'  League,  New 
York  city,  under  Mr.  J.  Carroll  Beckwith,  and  pri- 
vate lessons  of  Mr.  Frank  Fowler  and  Mr.  R.  M. 
Shurtleff  in  the  same  city  ;  also  had  lessons  of  Mr. 
Dennett  Grover  and  Mr.  Louis  C.  Earle  of  Chicago. 
Has  exhibited  paintings  in  the  Academy  of  Fine 
Arts,  Brooklyn,  New  York,  St.  Louis  and  Chicago. 
Had  charge  of  the  Art  Department  three  years  at 
Drury  College,  Springfield,  Missouri,  and  after- 
wards at  Eureka,  Illinois. 

In  1893  she  received  an  appointment  from  Mrs. 
Potter  Palmer,  President  of  the  Board  of  Lady 
Managers,  Chicago,  of  the  World's  Columbian  Ex- 
position, to  assist  in  the  mural  painting  of  the 
Woman's  Building. 

MAY    IRENE    BURROWS. 

May  Irene  Burrows  was  born  in  Atlanta,  Illinois, 
December  16,  1861,  to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Burrows. 
She  was  educated  in  Atlanta  High  School  and  Illi- 
nois State  Normal  University,  and  was  a  teacher 
seven  years  in  the  public  schools  of  Minier,Atlanta 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  213 

and  Tonica,  Illinois,  during  which  time  she  was 
pursuing  the  study  of  Art. 

She  spent  the  session  of  '86  and  '87  in  Eureka 
College  as  Art  instructor,  since  which  time  she  has 
studied  art  in  New  York  under  the  ablest  artists 
of  this  country. 

Her  life  has  been  a  steady  advance  toward  suc- 
cess in  her  chosen  profession. 

At  present  she  is  finishing  her  third  year  as  Art 
instructor  in  St.  Mary's  Hall,  Faribault,  Minnesota. 

Her  mother  was  of  Swiss  and  her  father  of  Eng- 
lish descent. 

JESSIE   B.    MINASSIAN. 

Jessie  Bruner  Minassian  was  born  February  6, 
1867,  at  Monmouth,  Illinois.  Ancestry,  German 
and  Scotch.  She  lived  with  her  parents  at  Mon- 
mouth, Oskaloosa,  Abingdon  and  Eureka,  success- 
ively. Attended  the  public  schools  and  Abiugdon 
College,  graduating  from  the  latter  in  1884,  and 
taught  school  the  following  year.  In  1886  she 
studied  music  at  Eureka  College,  and  since  1887 
has  devoted  her  entire  time  and  attention  to  her 
chosen  profession — Art.  Studied  painting  in  oil 
with  Professor  L.  A.  Loomis,  graduate  of  Royal 
Academy  of  Berlin ;  portraiture  with  Mr.  J.  A. 
Bunch  of  Chicago,and  Professor  C.  C.  Minor  of  the 
Chicago  Art  Institute,  and  watercolors  with  Artist 


214  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

White.  Taught  art  at  Cambridge,  Illinois,  through 
the  fall  and  winter  of  1889. 

She  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Dr.  H.  A.  Mi- 
nassian,  December  25,  1890. 

Took  charge  of  the  Art  department  of  Eureka 
College,  January,  1892,  and  has  since  removed  to 
Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

She  spent  the  summer  of  1892  sketching  in  Wis- 
consin, making  a  large  collection. 


REMINISCENCES. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  EUREKA. 

WOODLAND,  CAL.,  March  2,  1893. 

Miss  ELMIRA  DICKINSON  : 

My  Dear  Friend — You  ask  me  to  give  you  a 
chapter  of  "Reminiscences  of  Eureka"  and  my 
memory  goes  back  to  the  summer  of  1847,  when 
my  father,  John  T.  Jones,  first  made  his  home  in 
Walnut  Grove.  The  name  "Eureka"  had  not  then 
been  thought  of.  The  stately  walnut  trees  were 
standing  in  their  original  majesty.  The  wild 
blackberry  vines  were  loaded  with  their  luscious 
fruit,  and  hazelnuts  hung  temptingly  overhead 
and  upon  each  side  of  the  narrow  footpath.  The 
mocking-bird  and  the  whip-poor-will  sang  undis- 
turbed in  their  native  forest,  and  the  quail,  pheas- 
ant, wild  turkey,  gray  squirrel  and  red  deer  lured 
the  hunter  to  spend  many  a  day  in  the  leafy  grove 
with  only  his  gun  for  a  companion. 

All  the  features  of  a  pioneer  settlement  were 
here,  and  the  neighborhood  was  especially  favored 
in  having  leading  men  of  intelligence  and  high 
moral  and  religious  principles.  No  physician's 
services  could  be  had  without  sending  many  miles, 

but   Ben   Major,  everybody's   "Uncle   Ben,"   was 

(217) 


218  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE.  . 

always  ready  to  leave  his  own  work  to  answer  the 
call  of  distress.  Whether  the  angel  of  life  or  the 
angel  of  death  had  called,  his  kind  voice  and  ready 
skill  were  there  to  rejoice  with  the  happy  or  to 
comfort  the  broken-hearted. 

I  have  heard  my  father  say  that  "the  difference 
between  Uncle  Ben  and  other  men  was  this ;  that 
while  the  latter  would  say,  'If  I  had  not  such  a 
piece  of  work  to  do  I  would  visit  Brother  A.,  who 
is  sick;'  Uncle  Ben  would  say,  'If  Brother  A.  were 
not  sick,  I  would  plow  that  field  to-day.' '  This 
good  man  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  becom- 
ing convinced  of  the  evils  of  slavery,  wished  to  re- 
move his  family  from  its  influences,  but  could  not 
conscientiously  sell  his  slaves  in  order  to  get  rid  of 
them. 

About  this  time  Colonization  Societies  were  being 
formed  to  send  negroes  to  Liberia,  and  Uncle  Ben 
became  convinced  that  this  was  the  best  solution 
of  his  difficulty.  He  therefore  sent  his  slaves  to 
Liberia,  having  first  taught  them  to  read  and 
write,  and  regularly  sent  them  needed  supplies  un- 
til their  coffee  and  sugar  plantations  were  matured 
and  would  enable  them  to  provide  for  themselves. 
Others  united  with  him  in  this  benevolent  scheme 
and  a  Colonization  Society  was  formed  in  Walnut 
Grove.  At  one  of  its  annual  meetings,  Uncle  Ben 
read  aloud  a  letter  from  one  of  his  former  slaves, 
who  addressed  him  as  "My  dear  father,"  and  said 


REMINISCENCES.  219 

that  lie  had  sent  him  a  sack  of  coffee  from  his  own 
plantation.  The  tears  were  in  'Uncle  Ben's'  eyes 
as  he  read  this  letter,  and  his  voice  trembling  with 
emotion  said,  "Brethren,  that  coifee  will  drink 
sweet  without  any  sugar." 

There  was  but  one  church  building  in  Walnut- 
Grove  in  '47,  and  all  meetings  of  general  interest 
were  held  there.  That  house  stood  where  the  Eu- 
reka cemetery  now  stands.  It  was  customary  to 
announce  all  matters  of  importance  after  the  Lord's 
day  services.  If  any  were  sick  it  was  then  made- 
known,  and  arrangements  made  for  their  being 
properly  cared  for  during  the  ensuing  week.  Young 
men  would  volunteer  to  go  upo:i  a  certain  day  to 
feed  the  stock,  chop  the  wood,  sit  up  at  nightr 
if  necessary,  until  every  day  was  provided  for. 
The  busy  matrons  would  find  time  to  ride  to  the 
house  of  affliction,carrying  a  basket  of  ready-cook- 
ed food,  such  sweet  home-made  bread  and  glasses- 
of  jelly  for  the  sick,  and  for  the  well  more  substan- 
tial supplies.  This  was  done,  not  as  a  deed  of 
charity,  humiliating  to  the  recipient,  but  as  one 
sister  might  offer  needed  help  to  another. 

At  one  time,  a  young  man,  upon  whom  fell  the 
support  of  his  father  and  sisters,  was  sick.  The 
young  men  of  the  neighborhood  assembled, 
plowed  his  land  and  put  in  his  crop,  so  that  when 
he  was  again  on  foot  he  had  not  lost  the  season 
and  thus  fallen  financially  behind.  This  kind  of 


220  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

practical  Christianity  was  the  rule,  and  not  the  ex- 
ception in  this  community. 

In  the  summer  of  '47  or  '48  my  uncle,  Joshua 
Jones,  and  his  wife, "Aunt  Sally,"  made  us  a  visit, 
bringing  with  them  two  school  friends  of  mine  from 
Jacksonville,  Illinois.  Uncle  Joshua  was  slow  and 
deliberate  in  all  his  ways.  He  was  an  intelligent 
man ;  a  deep  thinker,  of  good  education  for  the 
times.  Afterwards  he  moved  to  the  Grove,  and  for 
a  long  time  served  as  an  elder  in  the  Christian 
Church.  Aunt  Sally  was  an  energetic,  impulsive 
woman,  with  a  quick  appreciation  of  the  humor- 
ous. One  day  we  were  visiting  a  friend,  when  our 
hostess  asked  me  how  Brother  Gorin  was.  Aunt 
Sally  spoke  up  quickly  and  said,  "What  is  the 
matter  with  that  Brother  Gorin?  Everybody  asks 
about  Brother  Gorin."  Our  kind-hearted  hostess 
answered,  with  a  face  full  of  sympathy,  "Indeed,  I 
don't  know,  Sister  Jones,  just  what's  the  matter 
with  him,  but  I  believe  the  poor  man  has  a  spine 
or  something  in  his  back."  My  friend,  Mary,  sat 
-demurely  in  her  chair,  but  it  was  more  than  Betty 
and  I  could  stand,  and  Aunt  Sally,  seeing  our  un- 
successful efforts  to  control  our  laughter,  came  to 
our  relief  and  suggested  that  we  go  out  and  see 
"Aunt  Liddy's"  (?)  loom,  which  we  certainly  found 
to  be  the  most  amusing  loom  that  had  ever  been 
constructed. 

The  actors  in  this  scene  are  all  gone,  all  but  my- 


REMINISCENCES.  221 

self.     Their  life  work  well   and    faithfully  done,, 
"they  have  entered  into  their  rest." 

Large  families  were  the  order  of  the  day,  and  it 
is  told,  truly,  no  doubt,  that  a  mother  whose  chil- 
dren had  all  grown  out  of  babyhood  had  set  out 
for  "meeting"  in  the  wagon  with  her  husband. 
For  some  reason  she  was  nervous  and  could  not 
ride  comfortably  in  her  chair.  At  last  she  said, 
"Stop,  old  man,  stop  !  I  know  what's  the  matter. 
Get  out  and  get  me  a  chunk  to  carry  in  my  lap. 
I'm  so  used  to  carrying  a  baby  I  can't  ride  with- 
out holding  something." 

In  '49  a  protracted  meeting  was  held  by  D.  P. 
Henderson  and  A.  Procter,  then  just  returned 
from  Bethany  College.  A  large  number,  about  one 
hundred,  were  added  to  the  church.  William 
Davenport  and  my  father  administered  the  or- 
dinance of  baptism,  standing  at  the  same  time  in 
the  clear,  pebble-lined  stream,  and  receiving  the 
candidates  as  they  were  lead  to  them. 

One  of  our  neighbors  had  long  been  the  only 
member  of  his  family  in  the  Christian  Church,  his 
wife  professing  a  different  faith.  At  this  time  he 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  his  wife  and  five  of  their 
children  and  a  son-in-law  go,  following  their  Sav- 
iour, down  into  the  waters  of  baptism.  Every 
heart  was  touched  and  many  an  eye  was  tilled  with 
tears.  It  was  an  interesting  time  when  this  army 
of  new  converts  was  received  into  the  fellowship 


222  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

of  the  church.  As  was  always  then  the  custom, 
they  were  called  to  the  front  and  received  from  the 
lips  of  the  evangelist  or  pastor,  instructions  as  to 
their  duties.  Every  effort  was  made  to  deepen  the 
impression  already  received  and  to  plant  their  feet 
more  firmly  in  the  untried  path  before  them.  The 
importance  of  Bible  study  and  prayer  was  espe- 
cially enjoined.  Then  followed  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship  with  much  rejoicing  and  many  tears. 
Objections  are  often  made  to  an  emotional  relig- 
ion ;  but  we  claim  that  our  religion  is  from  God, 
and  "G-od  is  love,"  and  love  is  surely  an  emotion 
.as  well  as  a  principle. 

My  home  in  Eureka  was  one  of  peculiarly  loving 
associations.  It  was  here  that  were  passed  the 
last  hours  given  me  to  spend  with  a  dear  mother. 
The  most  intimate  confidences  of  our  lives  were 
here  enjoyed,  as  I  was  just  budding  into  woman- 
hood, and  here  I  learned  most  fully  to  appreciate 
the  loveliness  of  her  character.  Her  elasticity  of 
spirit  rendering  her  habitually  cheerful,  her  rare 
unselfishness  and  thoughtfulness  of  others,  the  mu- 
tual sympathy  with  which  we  appreciated  the 
same  authors,  the  unvarying  neatness  of  her  at- 
tire, her  deep  conscientiousness  and  her  love  for 
me,  made  h^rs  a  character  to  be  loved  and  rever- 
ed. When  I  left  her  for  the  last  time  she  was 
standing  by  the  yard  gate  as  I  bade  her  goodbye 
and  rode  away,  and  never  can  the  picture  of  her 


REMINISCENCES.  223 

earnest,  wistful  face  fade  from  my  mind.  She  knew 
it  was  the  last  time,but  I  did  not,  but  I  know  she 
awaits  me  on  the  other  shore,  and  that  that  loved 
face  now  wears  a  happier  expression  than  it  ever 
wore  on  earth.  "Thanks  be  to  God  for  his  unspeak- 
able gift." 

The  settlers  of  Walnut  Grove  fully  appreciated  a 
liberal  education,  and  at  an  early  day  in  the 
forties  decided  to  improve  the  privileges  of  their 
children  in  this  regard.  Soon  after  my  father  be- 
came a  citizen  here  he  erected  for  me  a  log 
schoolhouse  in  his  own  yard,  where  the  labors 
of  my  life  were  inaugurated.  Here  I  presided 
over  seventeen  girls,  twelve  of  whom  were  some- 
what my  seniors  in  age.  "Many  remain  to  this 
present,  but  some  are  fallen  asleep." 

My  methods  of  teaching  at  that  time  need  not 
be  criticised  now,  but  could  doubtless  be  im- 
proved. The  teacher,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  was  her- 
self learning  many  a  lesson  to  be  utilized  in  future 
fields.  My  school  was  broken  up  by  an  epidemic 
of  measles,  and  never  reassembled.  The  sor- 
rows of  that  winter  will  long  be  remembered.  Many 
homes  were  made  desolate, and  those  who  were  not 
afflicted  were  kept  busy  caring  for  the  sick.  Death 
claimed  one  of  my  pupils,  Miss  Amanda  Wilkin- 
son, of  Metamora. 

The  name"Eureka"  was  chosen  for  the  new  post- 
office,  and  I  well  remember  when  my  father  and 


224  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

"Uncle  Davenport"  announced  the    fact    at    our 
house.     I  think  they  had  selected  the  name. 

A  school-house  was  built  not  far  from  the  church 
in  '48,  and  A.  S.  Fisher  installed  as  teacher.  He 
had  been  educated  at  Bethany  College  and  was 
unsurpassed  for  thoroughness  and  conscientious 
devotion  to  his  work.  Later  he  became  a  profes- 
sor in  Eureka  College  and  served  in  this  capacity 
for  many  years.  In  the  early  records  of  this  insti- 
tution his  name  must  ever  stand  prominent — a 
synonym  of  faithfulness.  His  wife  was  Miss  Susan 
Palmer,  a  daughter  of  the  pioneer  preacher,  Henry 
D.  Palmer,  and  an  aunt  of  Mrs.  O.  A.  Burgess,  the 
National  President  of  the  Christian  Woman's 
Board  of  Missions. 

Every  step  accomplished  only  encouraged  these 
earnest  men  to  plan  for  greater  things,  and  at 
length  to  determine  to  plant  a  college  in  the  grow- 
ing town  of  Eureka.  You  know,  my  friend,  that  I 
had  then  returned  to  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  to  com- 
plete my  course  of  study,  and  you  and  others  who 
remained  on  the  ground  can  more  faithfully  chron- 
icle the  subsequent  events  connected  with  the  his- 
tory of  the  college.  If,  however,  a  community  ever 
merited  the  success  it  has  achieved,  that  place  is 
Eureka.  And,  although  the  heads  are  laid  low 
that  originated  the  idea  of  a  great  educational  in- 
stitution here,  and  the  hearts  have  ceased  to  throb 
that  worked  and  sacrificed  for  its  accomplishment, 


REMINISCENCES.  225 

still,  "their  works  do  follow  them"  in  the  noble 
college,  whose  influence  is  so  broad,  and  which 
stands  a  lasting  monument  to  their  memory. 

It  was  my  privilege  in  '92  to  revisit  this  spot,  so 
linked  with  the  past,  and  once  more  to  be  the  hon- 
ored guest  of  those  friends  of  former  years.  There 
are  still  the  descendants  of  the  Majors,  the  Dickin- 
sons, the  Radfords,  the  Davenports,  the  Mitchells, 
the  Bullocks,  the  Joneses,  the  Darsts  and  others, 
whose  sterling  traits  show  them  to  be  worthy  rep- 
resentatives of  their  worthy  sires. 

0  Eureka!  Eureka!  How  shall  my  pen  do  jus- 
tice to  thy  generous  hospitality  !  How  my  heart  re- 
sponds to  the  love-feasts  with  which  thy  tables  were 
spread !  How  the  past,  with  all  its  tender  memor- 
ies of  mother,  father  and  home,  crowds  upon  me — 
scenes  no  more  to  return  in  this  life  !  Many  happy 
days  have  been  mine,  but  adown  the  vista  of  time 
no  skies  are  more  bright  than  thine,  no  memories 
more  dear  to  my  heart !  Yours  sincerely, 

MRS.  SUE.  E.  GRANT. 

15 


OLD  ACADEMY  DAYS  IN  WALNUT  GROVE. 

Over  forty  years  ago — in  the  year  1850 — I  enter- 
ed as  a  student  of  Walnut  Grove  Academy,  which 
a  college  charter,  a  few  years  later,  transformed 
into  Eureka  College.  The  school,  opened  not  long 
before  in  a  single  room,  had  just  been  transferred 
to  the  new  brick,  with  a  chapel  and  two  recitation 
rooms,  a  building  which,  in  those  days  of  begin- 
nings, was  regarded  as  a  magnificent  structure. 
The  teachers  in  charge  were  Professor  Asa  Fisher, 
who  has  the  honor  of  planting  the  germ  which 
grew  into  Eureka  College,  and  Elder  John  Lindsey, 
who  has  long  since  rested  from  his  labors.  A  little 
later  the  place  of  the  latter  was  taken  by  Profes- 
sor John  H.  Neville,  who  continued  long  after  the 
two  or  three  years  had  ended  that  I  passed  in  the 
academy.  Among  my  fellow  students  in  that 
period  I  recall  Miss  Elmira  J.  Dickinson,  so  well 
known  in  our  missionary  work ;  Miss  Nannie  Led- 
gerwood,  now  Mrs.  Burgess,  the  beloved  President 
of  the  Christian  Woman's  Board  of  Missions,  and 
the  founder  of  Burgess  Hall,  and  Miss  Caroline 
Neville,  better  known  in  these  later  times  as  Mrs. 

Pearre,  to  whom  the  conception  of  the  Woman's 

(226) 


EEMINISCENCES.  227 

Board  of  Missions  is  to  be  credited.  It  is  enough 
to  enshrine  Walnut  Grove  Academy  as  a  sacred 
memory  that  it  has  equipped  three  women  so 
nobly  for  their  beneficent  work. 

It  would  be  hard  for  one  who  has  only  seen 
Eureka  in  these  later  times  to  picture  the  pri- 
meval condition  that  existed  forty  years  ago. 
The  brush  had  been  trimmed  out  of  a  small 
space  around  the  academy  and  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  old  frame  church  where  the  forefathers 
worshiped.  A  heavy  wood  and  dense  thicket 
covered  the  whole  area  of  the  present  college 
campus.  A  path  ran  diagonally  through  the 
tangled  undergrowth  to  "Uncle"  John  T.  Jones's, 
where  I  found  a  home.  This  dense  wood  often 
re-echoed  to  youthful  oratory  as  the  young  Patrick 
Henrys  practiced  in  preparation  for  the  weekly 
literary  society.  Occasionally  some  flight  of  elo- 
quence awoke  a  response  from  a  mischievous  fellow 
student  who,  attracted  by  the  sound,  crept  up  and 
astounded  the  orator  by  his  sudden  applause.  I 
have  a  vivid  recollection  of  an  experience  of  that 
kind  myself,  which  so  paralyzed  the  wings  of  my 
Pegasus  that  he  came  down  with  a  bounce. 

It  is  still  a  pleasure  to  recall  those  primitive 
days.  Life  was  so  real.  All  was  so  hearty  and 
joyous.  The  student  life,  though  far  removed  from 
that  of  the  present,  was  robust  and  helpful.  Al- 
gebra, with  the  mysterious  results  worked  out  by 


228  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

the  unknown  quantities,  opened  to  our  visions  a 
wonderland,  and  the  conjugation  of  Amo  or  Tup- 
to  seemed  to  bring  the  ring  of  the  matchless  peri- 
ods of  Cicero  and  Demosthenes.  Then  the  mem- 
ory of  the  worship  in  the  low  frame  church  by  the 
cemetery,  and  of  the  ancient  worthies  who  bowed 
at  the  altar  there — such  men  as  Myers,  and  Dick- 
inson, and  Major,  and  Radford,  the  men  who 
builded  better  than  they  knew — is  one  that  can 
never  cease  to  be  an  inspiration. 

One  incident  of  those  early  times,  a  part  of  my 
school  experiences,  seems  to  me  to  be  worthy  of 
a  place  here.  In  the  fall  of  1853  Alexander 
der  Campbell  made  a  visit  to  Illinois  in  the  inter- 
est of  the  endowment  of  Bethany  College.  As 
there  were  no  facilities  for  railroad  travel,  he  was 
carried  over  the  country  in  the  carriages  of  the 
brethren.  He  aimed  to  make  one  address  per 
day,  at  widely  separated  points,  and  came  from 
Lacon,  I  think,  the  day  he  spoke  in  Walnut  Grove. 
A  vast  audience  gathered,  from  many  miles  over 
the  country,  long  before  he  arrived.  W".  W.  Hap- 
py, of  Jacksonville,  addressed  them  for  a  while, 
in  order  to  occupy  the  time,  but  the  people  were 
so  impatient  to  hear  the  great  reformer  that 
the  words  of  Elder  Happy  fell  on  dull  ears.  At 
last  Mr.  Campbell  came  and  entered  the  pulpit.  I 
had  never  seen  him  before,  but  none  of  that  audi- 
ence needed  anyone  to  inform  them  that  the  mag- 


REMINISCENCES.  229 

nificent  looking  man  was  the  famous  President  of 
Bethany  College.  He  was  then  over  sixty-five 
years  old ;  his  hair  was  iron  gray,  but  his  face 
was  fresh  and  his  eye  like  the  eagle's.  His  superb 
physical  frame  showed  no  signs  of  decay;  he  was 
in  the  prime  of  his  intellectual  strength;  his  voice 
rang  out  like  a  bugle,  and  as  he  spoke  that  day 
upon  the  mystery  of  Godliness,  one  of  his  favorite 
themes,  he  thrilled  his  audience  as  I  had  never 
heard  mortal  man  do  before.  It  is  a  tribute,  not 
only  to  the  impression  which  he  made,  but  to  the 
large-hearted  liberality  of  the  churches  at  Walnut 
Grove  and  in  the  vicinity,  that  $2,500,  if  my  mem- 
ory is  not  at  fault,  was  subscribed  on  that  day  to 
the  endowment  fund  of  Bethany  College.  When 
we  consider  that  the  wealth  of  the  region  was  not 
one  twentieth  of  what  it  is  now,  that  the  citizens 
were  nearly  all  small  farmers,  and  that  they  were 
burdening  themselves  to  found  a  literary  institu- 
tion in  their  own  midst,  their  response  was  remark- 
able. 

What  I  have  written  thus  far  all  pertains  to  the 
pre-college  period,  in  which  the  forces  were  at 
work  which  a  little  later  crystallized  into  Eureka 
College.  I  write  of  this  because  it  was  my  period 
of  student  life,  and  the  memories  of  it  are  rosier 
than  when,  some  years  later,  I  was  burdened  with 
the  duties  and  anxieties  of  a  teacher  in  the  col- 
lege. I  will,  however,  mention  one  experience  of 


230  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

the  latter  period  which  can  be  recalled  by  many 
who  will  read  this  sketch.  In  the  spring  of  1861, 
in  the  month  of  April,  I  went  down  to  Peoria  to 
remain  over  Sunday.  On  Saturday  evening  the 
boom  of  the  cannon  firing  upon  Fort  Sumter  roll- 
ed over  the  land,  and  came  with  mighty  reverbera- 
tions upon  our  West.  On  Sunday,  thoughts  of 
battle  mingled  with  the  hymns  to  the  Prince  of 
Peace,  and  an  eagerness  for  tidings  from  Sumter 
made  men  forget  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel. 
On  Monday  morning  I  hurried  back  to  my  duties 
at  the  college,  over  which  I  was  presiding,  and  as 
I  came  in  sight  I  saw  the  Stars  and  Stripes  proud- 
ly floating  from  its  pinnacle.  On  the  campus  I 
met  the  students,  engaged  in  drilling  for  the  tented 
field,  and  the  formation  of  a  company  had  already 
begun.  That  company,  Company  G,  of  the  Seven- 
teenth Illinois  Infantry,  carried  some  of  the  noblest 
young  men  to  the  front  that  ever  offered  their  lives 
for  their  country.  Of  these  James  Skelton  and 
Charles  Dickinson  were  shot  down  at  Shiloh, 
though  the  latter  lingered,  an  invalid,  for  many 
years  ;  J.  H.  Rowell,  after  the  war,  went  to  the  law 
and  to  Congress ;  H.  D.  Clark,  J.  W.  Allen  and  B. 
J.  Radford  are  known,  and  loved,  and  praised  in 
all  our  churches  for  their  work's  sake.  T.  R.  Bryan, 
of  Kansas  City,  was  another  of  the  band.  He  is  not 
a  preacher,  but  is  well  known  as  the  Treasurer  of 
the  Church  Extension  Fund. 


REMINISCENCES.  231 

Memories  come  so  thickly  that  I  am  tempted  to 
write  a  history  instead  of  a  brief  sketch,  and  it  re- 
quires some  self-denial  to  restrain  my  eager  pen. 

B.  W.  JOHNSON. 


TRANSITORY  REMINISCENCES  OF  WALNUT 
GROVE  AND  EUREKA— 1851-1855. 

The  committee  to  whom  has  been  assigned  the 
duty  of  preparing  a  History  of  Eureka  College,  in 
order  to  get  a  few  chapters  of  "early  days,"  had 
to  cast  their  eyes  about  for  a  "back  number." 
Hence  my  selection  as  one  antedating  the  familiar 
things  of  the  present  day,  with  the  expectation 
that  nearly  forty  years  of  active  business  life 
could  be  passed  over  without  mention  in  the  retro- 
spection of  incidents  and  tales  of  yore  that  are  ex- 
pected to  be  resurrected. 

Well,  to  begin,  it  was  "Walnut  Grove"  when  I 
first  put  in  my  appearance.  Then  the  trees  were 
cut  down,  and  it  was  "Stumptown."  After  the 
trees  were  removed  they  were  enabled  to  find  it — 
hence  the  name  "Eureka." 

I  was  not  long  in  finding  out  that  I  was  at  home 
with  kinfolks,  as  it  was,  "Uncle  Ben"  (Major), 
"Uncle  Billy"  (Davenport),  "Uncle  John  T."  (Jones), 
"Uncle  Joshua"  (Jones),  "Uncle  Davy"  (Deweese), 
"Uncle  Elias"  (Myers),  "Uncle  Abisha"  (Myers), 
"Uncle  Elijah"  (Dickinson),  "Uncle  Ben"  (Radford), 

"Uncle  Caleb"  (Davidson),  and  others,  nearly  all  of 

(232) 


EEMINISCENCES.  233 

whom  had  wives  that  were  "Aunts"  of  course,  to 
say  nothing  of  a  numerous  progeny  of  descendants 
who  might  have  been  called  cousins. 

We  boarded  around  in  the  neighborhood  with 
the  citizens,  as  there  were  no  regular  boarding 
houses.  In  fact  we  did  not  need  them,  as  they  "took 
us  in"  for  almost  nothing — $1.75  per  week. 

The  nearest  post-office  was  at  Washington,  eight 
miles  distant.  We  spent  a  good  portion  of  the  day 
Saturday  in  finding  out  and  visiting  those  who  had 
been  to  town  Friday,  so  that  we  could  get  our  let- 
ters one  day  in  advance,  without  waiting  till  Sun- 
day, when  the  farmers  would  come  to  church  and 
distribute  the  mail.  The  Walnut  Grove  Academy 
mail  was  usually  sent  by  anybody  who  happened 
to  go  to  town. 

About  the  first  mail  from  Eureka  (which  was 
carried  on  horseback)  carried  a  great  many  epistles 
of  which  the  following  will  serve  as  a  sample  : 

"APRIL  1,  1852. 

"MB. : 

"We  hope  you  will  not  be  offended  when  you  find  that 
you  have  been  April-fooled  by  the 

"STUMPTOWN  GIRLS." 

One  of  the  striking  features  of  the  place — one 
not  likely  to  be  forgotten — was  the  frame  church 
building,  now  long  since  abandoned.  Whether  or 
not  its  body  "lies  mouldering  in  the  tomb"  in  the 
cemetery  which  now  occupies  its  former  location,  1 
do  not  know.  It  was  a  low,  broad  structure  with 


234  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

two  doors  in  the  end,  and  the  pulpit  between  them. 
It  had  an  inclined  floor  that  would  have  reached 
the  ceiling  had  it  not  fortunately  found  the  rear 
end  of  the  building  just  in  time  to  prevent  a  tall 
man  from  bumping  his  head. 

The  location  of  the  pulpit  served  to  prevent  the 
running  out  and  in  of  the  youngsters,  some  of 
whom,  no  doubt,  came  from  neighborhoods  where 
the  practice  was  in  vogue,  as  was  the  case  in  most 
new  settlements  of  the  country.  At  one  place  I 
heard  of,  where  the  custom  had  become  a  regular 
nuisance,  the  new  preacher  was  notified  by  the 
officers  of  the  church  so  that  he  would  not  be  taken 
off  his  guard  and  nonplussed  in  his  sermon.  Being 
thus  apprised,  he  proved  himself  equal  to  the  oc- 
casion. On  entering  the  pulpit  he  remarked  that 
it  was  quite  cool  in  the  room,  and  if  any  of  the 
people  had  holes  in  their  stockings  they  were  at 
liberty  to  go  out  during  the  sermon  and  warm 
their  feet.  As  none  went  out,  it  was  said  (to  the 
credit  of  the  mothers  and  wives)  that  they  had  at- 
tended to  the  darning  on  Saturday  night,  and  it 
was  not  necessary  for  the  preacher  to  think  about 
darning  the  stockings,  or  the  wearers  either,  dur- 
ing the  sermon. 

uLida's  Wood"  had  its  antetype  in  the  "Bower 
of  Beauty"  (only  the  ghost  of  itself  now— 1893 — re- 
maining) which  was  presided  over  by  Professor 
Fisher  and  his  estimable  wife.  Many  of  the  young 


REMINISCENCES.  235 

ladies  boarded  there,  and  they  were  supposed  to 
be  under  the  strictest  surveillance  ;  but  many  were 
the  billet  doux  that  passed  up  and  down  the  stove 
pipe  that  went  through  another  room.  I  sometimes 
have  wondered  if  we  that  have  passed  through  the 
"boy  and  girl"  period,  ever  stop  to  think  of  those 
by-gone  days  (when  we  think  we  are  exercising 
the  same  surveillance),  and  wonder  if  we  don't 
know  how  it  was  ourselves.  Those  billet  doux 
always  got  there,  do  now,  and  always  will. 

Then  there  was  the  "Queen's  Palace"  that  was 
kept  by  those  maiden  ladies,  the  Kings.  That  was 
a  resort  for  the  male  students.  Who  can  now 
think  of  the  place  without  associating  with  it  the 
names  of  John  W.  Owen  and  John  L.  McCune — 
generally  called  John  -  Leander-Honey-my-dear- 
Mitchell-McCune,  not  for  short,  but  because  of  a 
love  affair — as  that  was  their  boarding  place. 

There  were  no  saloons,  but  there  was  a  famous 
drinking  place  just  east  of  the  academy — Walnut 
Grove  Spring.  We  all  resorted  there  at  recess 
and  at  the  noon  hour  to  quench  our  thirst.  Like 
the  famous  spring  of  Dan,  it  was  the  source  of  a 
"Jordan,"  but  its  name  was  not  assigned  to  it  on 
account  of  its  similarity  in  that  respect,  but  from 
the  song  that  runs,  "Jordan  is  a  hard  road  to 
travel,  I  believe,"  as  was  demonstrated  by  its 
steep  banks  that  were  wonderfully  in  the  way  (dur- 
ing the  icy  and  rainy  times)  of  the  boys  who 


236  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

thought  they  were  good  enough  to  "pass  over  Jor- 
dan" to  see  the  young  ladies  who  lived  south  of 
that  famous  gully. 

The  usual  pranks  of  students  ("human  natur"  is 
always  the  same)  were  played,  but  the  writer  be- 
ing a  good  boy  will  let  some  one  else  tell  of  most  of 
them.  In  proof  of  goodness  one  incident  might  be 
mentioned.  It  was  the  custom  at  the  close  of  the 
"morning  hour"  for  Professor  Fisher  to  name  the 
person  or  persons  that  might  need  disciplining,  to 
meet  the  faculty  in  the  "south  room,"  naming  the 
hour  that  their  presence  would  be  expected.  In 
the  morning  aluded  to,  he  announced  that  with 
others  Mr.  Pickrell  would  please  meet  the  faculty. 
As  quick  as  thought,  Mr.  George  Pickrell  jumped 
to  his  feet  and  asked,  "Which  Mr.  Pickrell  ?  The 
pupils  smiled  audibly,  even  Professor  Fisher  al- 
lowing the  rings  to  spread  over  the  corners  of  his 
mouth  when  he  replied,  "Mr.  George  Pickrell." 
More  than  one,  if  they  relate  reminiscences,  will 
remember  that  room. 

Spirit-rappings  (ought  to  be  spelled  wrappings) 
were  creating  some  excitement  about  that  time.  A 
medium  (a  woman)  was  located  a  few  miles  from 
the  academy.  A  party  was  made  up  to  pay  her  a 
visit.  The  enquirers  were  requested  to  place  them- 
selves around  a  box  and  put  their  hands  on  it. 
After  a  few  communications  had  been  received 
from  the  spirit  land,  it  was  suggested  by  some 


REMINISCENCES.  237 

incredulous  person  (there  are  nearly  always  some 
of  that  kind  in  such  crowds)  that  perhaps  the 
spirits  communicated  through  the  toes  of  the  medi- 
um, and  to  be  certain  there  was  no  deception,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  hold  her  feet.  This 
intimidated  to  some  extent  the  spirits  and  they  re- 
fused to  respond.  As  there  was  likely  to  be  but 
little  fun,  one  of  the  "toe*'  committee  held  on  with 
his  hands  but  did  the  rapping  himself,  much  to  the 
relief  and  amusement  of  the  medium,  as  it  got  her 
out  of  a  bad  box  and  edified  the  spectators. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Allen,  who  was  then  a  practicing  phy- 
sician, afterwards  a  minister,  and  then  President 
of  Eureka  College,  was  a  frequent  visitor  to  the 
room  that  Professor  Neville  and  myself  occupied. 
One  night  he  staid  late.  The  weather  was  inau- 
spicious, a  heavy  snow  was  falling,  and  upon  invi- 
tation of  his  hosts  he  decided  to  remain  over  night 
in  the  one- third  of  the  bed  that  had  been  so  gener- 
ously tendered  him.  The  guest  occupied  the  post 
of  honor  by  sleeping  "before,"  with  Professor 
Neville  in  the  "middle."  The  next  morning  Pro- 
fessor Neville  was  missing.  Neither  the  Doctor 
nor  myself  having  been  disturbed,  we  were  at  a 
loss  to  know  what  had  become  of  him.  After  we 
had  retired  the  snow  had  ceased  to  fall,  so  that  the 
tracks  he  had  made  in  his  escape  were  plainly 
visible.  We  had  roasted  him  out,  and  he  had 
struck  for  the  doctor's  bed  for  a  morning  nap. 


238  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

I  would  be  remiss  in  my  duty  if  I  forgot  to  men- 
tion the  ladies'  and  the  gentlemen's  magazines 
that  were  published  once  a  month,  printed  with  a 
pen.  They  formed  a  kind  of  safety-valve  for  the 
school.  All  were  required  to  write  ''compositions" 
but  they  were  not  required  to  read  them  but  three 
times  a  month.  The  fourth  week,  on  Friday  after- 
noon, they  assembled  at  the  church,  the  inhabit- 
ants being  invited  and  welcomed  to  hear  the  news 
read  from  them  by  the  editors,  who  were  succeeded 
by  some  aspiring  youth  and  maid  every  month. 
The  authors  who  contributed  were  reported  by  the 
editors  to  the  faculty,  so  as  to  excuse  them  from 
writing  a  composition  and  reading  it  themselves, 
hence  the  relief,  safety  and  relaxation  from  being 
always  solemn,  as  compositions  were  rated  as  ser- 
ious affairs. 

The  gentlemen's  magazine  of  March  2,  1855,  is 
before  me.  Some  of  the  subjects  treated  were: 
"Reading"  (an  editorial),  "History,"  "Views," 
"Lost,  a  Heart,"  "Imagination,"  "Intemperance," 
a  poem  "To  the  Trustees,"  "A  Ship  at  Sea"  (poet- 
ry), "Whiskers  or  Beards,"  "The  Philosopher's 
Stone  Found,"  a  letter  addressed  to  Miss  Fide  (who 
had  advertised  for  a  husband)  by  Timothy  Scruggs, 
"The  Last  Farewell,"  "Musing,"  a  few  verses  styled 
"I  Can't  Do  It,"  "Murder,"  "Bloomers,"  "Influence 
of  a  Woman,"  "Love,"  "A  Valentine,"  etc.,  besides 
"Ye  Locals." 


EEMINISOENCES.  239 

The  stirring  times  came  in  the  spring,  when  we 
were  invited  by  Mr.  John  Darst  to  visit  his  sugar 
camp  (now  in  the  heart  of  the  town)  at  night,  to  eaj 
maple  sugar  and  wax.  One  evening  is  especially 
remembered,  when  about  half  a  dozen  of  his  boys 
— there  might  have  been  more — were  inclined, 
fully  as  much  as  the  big  kettles  of  sugar  water, 
to  boil  over,  their  spirits  exuberating  with  fun 
and  frolic.  But  when  their  father  pointed  his 
linger  at  them  and  said,  "Settle,  boys,  settle,'' 
they  at  once  subsided,  but  they  didn't  stay 
"settled"  very  long  at  a  time  (though,  finally, 
several  of  them  did  actually  "settle"  not  very  far 
from  the  spot  where  the  camp  was  located).  It  is 
needless  to  add  that  we  had  a  sweet  time. 

Space  and  time  forbid,  or  I  might  go  on  and 
write  how  we  always  got  lost  when  we  went  sleigh- 
riding  in  the  big  sled  with  four  horses,  in  going, 
as  we  always  did,  to  Mr.  Kinnear's ;  or  how  we 
got  to  and  from  the  "Grove"  by  private  convey- 
ances, as  no  public  ones  went  that  way. 

We  could  not  go  with  the  mail,  because,  even 
after  the  office  was  established,  the  mail  was  car- 
ried in  a  sack  on  horse-back.  It  was  a  mail  con- 
trivance, anyway,  while  the  school  was  male  and 
female. 

Or  I  might  tell  about  the  "Old  Folks'  Home" 
that  the  church  established  for  the  benefit  of  old 
Brother  and  Sister  Moffett,  and  about  how  one  of 


240  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

the  elders  every  Sunday  would  call  for  two  volun- 
teers to  go  each  night  through  the  week  to  care 
for  them ;  and  about  the  first  store,  that  was  kept 
in  a  room  about  fifteen  feet  square,  by  Mr.  Ster- 
ritt;  and  how  he  brought  tin  dinner-horns  that 
were  all  bought  one  night  by  some  of  the  boys 
who  went  out  and  made  the  welkin  ring,  till  the 
merchant  was  sick  of  hearing  them,  but  when  he 
tried  to  get  them  to  desist,  they  replied  that  they 
"bought  them  to  blow."  And  how  proud  we  were 
when  the  firm  of  Clark  &  Jones  opened  a  store  on 
the  corner  west  of  the  academy,  and  how  big  we 
felt  when  we  found  that  we  were  not  in  an  acad- 
emy at  all,  but  in  a  sure-enough  college,  having 
had  the  good  fortune  to  have  it  brought  to  us. 
We  being  Charter  Members  required  no  matricu 
lation  fee  or  initiatory  ceremonies,  you  see,  so  we 
kept  right  on  in  the  "middle  of  the  road."  Or, 
I  might  tell  how,  when  one  of  the  societies  held 
an  election  for  officers  by  ballot,  one  of  the  boxes 
was  '-stuffed,"  and  when  the  fact  was  announced 
the  member  who  did  it  rose  very  gravely  and  said, 
"If  any  one  is  guilty,  let  him  speak." 

I  will  leave  these,  and  many  other  incidents  of 
such  nature,  to  be  expatiated  upon  at  greater 
length  by  some  one  who  remembers  about  them, 
or  others  of  the  same  kind. 

But  before  closing  let  me  say  that  the  thirty- 
eight  intervening  years  have  failed  to  ex- 


REMINISCENCES.  241 

tinguish  the  pleasant  memories  of  teachers  and 
fellow  students.  Nor  would  these  reminiscences 
be  complete  without  a  kind  word  in  memory  of 
the  good  men  we  called  uncles,most  of  whom  have, 
I  believe,  "joined  the  great  majority,"  where  they 
will  receive  their  reward.  My  remembrance  of  them 
is  of  the  kindliest  sort.  They  were  whole-souled, 
liberal,  self-sacrificing,  social,  worthy  members  of 
society.  Long  live  the  memory  of  their  good 
deeds.  J.  H.  PICKRELL. 

Chicago ,  111. 
16 


SWEET  AND  SIMPLE   SERVICES. 

Eureka  College  is  part  of  the  fruit  of  the  spirit 
of  "attempting  great  things  for  God  and  expecting 
great  things  of  God,"  which  so  characterized  the 
early  Church  of  Christ  in  Walnut  Grove.  Among 
the  earliest  recollections  of  the  writer  some  of  the 
sweetest  are  of  the  simple  services  led  by  Uncle 
Ben  Major  and  Uncle  Elijah  Dickinson.  As  I  look 
back  nearly  half  a  century,  I  see  the  plain  meet- 
ing-house. The  doors  are  open,  for  it  is  Sunday 
morning.  The  windows  are  open,  for  it  is  a  sum- 
mer morning.  The  sweet-faced,  matronly  women 
enter  by  the  north  door,  and  occupy  the  shady, 
fragrant  north  side.  "No  silks  rustle,  nor  envious 
eyes  encounter."  It  is  literally  homespun  and 
harmony.  The  young  men  and  boys  are  gathered 
in  the  shade  of  some  neighboring  tree,  satisfy- 
ing a  social  hunger  begot  by  six  days  in  the 
wilderness  of  the  corn-fields.  The  young  women 
and  girls  are  here  and  there  in  groups  gathering 
bloom  in  hands  and  cheeks.  Then  there  comes 
out  through  the  doors  and  windows  the  summon- 
ing solo,  "Safely  through  another  week,"  and 

everybody  knows  that  "Uncle  Lijah"  has  begun 

(242) 


EEMINISCENCES.  243 

the  service  of  song.  The  strong,  uncultured  voices 
of  the  men,  and  the  tender  trebles  of  the  women 
help  to  swell  forth,  "God  has  brought  us  on  our 
way."  The  young  people  file  in,  and  at  the  last 
verse  the  chorus  is  full,  and  pretty  much  the 
whole  community  for  miles  around  is  in  the 
house.  Then  the  little  fat  hymn-book  opens  at 
another  place,  and  "Come  let  us  anew"  swells 
forth,  and  the  congregation  is  in  line  to  "Our  jour- 
ney pursue."  Dear,  saintly  band  of  singers !  I 
have  heard  Thomas'  and  Gilmore's,  and  the  tune- 
ful "divas"  over  whom  the  world  runs  mad,  but  I 
would  resign  the  privilege  of  ever  hearing  them 
more  for  the  sake  of  listening  to  you  once  again. 
But  it  may  be  that  among  the  "lost  chords,"  too 
sweet  for  earth,  even  that  may  be  picked  up  again 
over  there. 

THE   FIRST   MEETING   TO    BUILD    THE    ACADEMY. 

The  meeting  was  called  in  the  east  room  of  the 
Walnut  Grove  Seminary,  afterwards  called  "The 
Palace,"  because  a  family  by  the  name  of  King 
afterwards  occupied  it  for  a  dwelling.  The  new 
academy  building  was  to  be  of  brick,  and,  what 
was  hitherto  unknown  as  to  school-houses  here- 
abouts, two  stories  high.  Plans  of  the  architec- 
tural wonder  were  shown  at  the  second  meeting,and 
after  various  futile  attempts  to  satisfactorily  ex- 
hibit them,  somebody  said,  "Put  the  paper  behind 


244  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

the  candle."  Then  everybody  saw.  Have  we  so 
placed  the  Gospel  candle  before  Eureka  College 
that  all  the  brethren  in  the  State  can  see  it  ?  We 
have  been  trying  to.  Then  Uncle  Billy  Davenport 
made  a  speech  to  arouse  enthusiasm.  And  he 
knew  how.  He  astonished,  us  by  saying,  "Yes, 
arid  upon  this  magnificent  building  we  will  have  a 
bell  that  can  be  heard  from  Tom  West's  to  Bowl- 
ing Green."  Those  were  about  the  limits  of  the 
world  for  some  of  us.  The  house  came,  but  not 
tliat  bell.  But  other  belles  came,  more  musical 
and  beautiful,  and  many  of  them  remain  unto 
this  day,  but  some  are  fallen  asleep.  The  build- 
ing of  such  a  house  was  a  great  undertaking  in 
that  day,  but  after  much  discussion,  Uncle  Ben, 
the  guide  and  autocrat  of  the  neighborhood,  said, 
pointing  toE.  B.  Myers,  ''You  give  $150,"  and  to 
David  Deweese,  "You  give  $150,"  and  to  himself, 
"And  you  give  $150,"  and  then  suggested  what 
others  might  do,  and  the  thing  was  done.  His 
main  contention  was  that  they  must  build  an  in- 
stitution where  young  men  should  be  educated  for 
ministers  of  the  Gospel.  When  we  stop  to  think 
of  the  scores  of  strong  and  successful  preachers 
who  have  been  educated  here,  and  of  the  three- 
score young  men  now  in  the  Bible  department,  we 
suspect  that  these  men  builded  wiser  and  larger 
than  they  knew — perhaps  larger  than  any  of  us 
know. 


EE  MINIS  CENCE  S.  245 

AN   EXCITING   EPISODE. 

During  the  winter  of  1860-61  the  political  ex- 
citement throughout  the  country  was  at  fever  heat, 
and,  of  course,  the  college  did  not  escape  the  infec- 
tion. Before  the  end  of  the  winter  term  seven  of 
the  Southern  States  had  seceded,  and  the  "Confed- 
erate States  of  America"  had  been  organized  at 
Montgomery,  Alabama.  There  were  in  the  college 
some  half  dozen  or  more  of  young  men  (some  of 
them  from  the  South)  who  were  avowed,  outspoken 
and  not  over-discreet  Secessionists.  They  continu- 
ally provoked  the  anger  of  the  loyal  students,  both 
Eepublicans  and  Democrats,  by  their  disloyal 
talk.  Soon  after  the  beginning  of  the  spring  term 
the  excitement  was  greatly  increased  by  the  attack 
upon  Fort  Sumter,  and  some  of  the  Secessionist 
boys  threatened  to  hoist  a  rebel  flag  on  the  public 
park  in  Eureka.  This  so  stirred  the  popular  wrath 
that  matters  began  to  look  serious  for  the  thought- 
less young  fellows.  At  this  crisis  one  of  the  loyal 
students — who  a  few  days  afterward  enlisted  in 
the  service — undertook  to  do  a  little  missionary 
work  among  them.  He  got  together  four  or  five  of 
them  in  a  room  of  the  old  boarding-hall,  and,  after 
explaining  to  them  as  best  he  could  the  state  of 
the  public  temper,  he  kindly  advised  them  to  be 
more  discreet,  and  by  all  means  avoid  giving  fur- 
ther offense. 


246  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE.  . 

Instead  of  receiving  this  well-meant  advice  in 
the  spirit  in  which  it  was  proffered,  the  young  men 
informed  their  would-be  adviser  that  when  they 
needed  his  counsel  they  would  call  for  him.  The 
latter  withdrew,  and  it  was  about  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon.  The  more  he  thought  the  matter 
over  the  hotter  he  grew,  until  at  last  he  decided  to 
give  the  young  "  tire-eaters,"  as  the  boys  called 
them,  a  lesson.  Proceeding  to  a  store,  he  pro- 
cured two  yards  of  white  muslin,  upon  which  he 
painted,  during  the  afternoon,  a  palmetto  tree  with 
serpent  coiled  about  it,  and  a  lone  star ;  making 
what  was  then  supposed  to  be  the  confederate  em- 
blem. Having  attached  this  to  a  pole,  he  awaited 
the  approach  of  midnight,  when  he  and  another 
student  climed  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  trees 
in  the  public  park  and  thrusting  the  pole  above 
the  topmost  branch,  securely  fastened  it  there. 
Early  in  the  morning  they  were  upon  the  ground 
to  witness  the  outcome.  Soon  men  and  boys  be- 
gan to  collect  in  front  of  the  business  row  on  the 
west  side  of  the  park,  and  the  news  rapidly  spread 
that  "those  fellows  had  put  up  a  rebel  flag  on  the 
square." 

It  was  a  bright  spring  morning  with  a  soft  south 
wind,  and  before  the  sun  was  far  on  his  daily 
route  an  excited  crowd  was  gazing  upon  the  urat- 
tlesnake  rag"  triumphantly  flaunting  treason  in 
their  faces.  Finally  a  young  man  volunteered  to 


REMINISCENCES.  247 

bring  it  down  from  its  lofty  perch.  When  it  was 
brought  into  the  midst,  the  crowd  looked  upon  it 
a  moment  in  dazed  wonder,  and  then  made  a  sim- 
ultaneous rush  for  it.  In  twenty  seconds  pole  and 
flag  were  broken  and  torn  into  fragments.  The 
pieces  were  piled  upon  the  ground,  a  match  appli- 
ed, and  the  offending  rag  was  reduced  to  ashes. 
Then  the  silence  was  broken  by  a  prominent 
citizen  who  said,  in  a  voice  trembling  with  sup- 
pressed emotion,  "I  will  give  a  hundred  dollars  to 
know  who  put  that  up."  Another,  and  another, 
and  another  spoke  up,  rapidly  swelling  the  sum  to 
be  offered  as  a  reward  for  the  coveted  information. 
Matters  were  getting  serious  for  the  Secessionists, 
but  it  leaked  out  somehow  that  the  thing  was  a 
hoax.  But  the  indiscreet  fellows  learned  a  lesson. 
For  the  first  time  they  concluded  to  keep  their 
mouths  shut,  and  they  soon  departed  for  more  con- 
genial places.  B.  J.  RADFORD. 
Eureka,  III. 


FROM  A  STUDENT  OF  1855  AND  1858. 

ON  a  pleasant  April  afternoon  of  the  year  of 
grace  1855,  with  a  modest  equipment  of  baggage 
and  books,  I  first  entered  Eureka,  to  become  a 
student  at  "Walnut  Grove  Academy."  A  year 
or  two  before  some  sense  of  waste  of  time  and 
energy  in  the  follies  of  youth  had  come  upon  me, 
and  I  had  taken  a  round  turn  upon  some  of  my 
habits,  thus  gaining  more  hours  and  strength. for 
self-culture.  Now  in  my  twentieth  year,  with  the 
day  of  my  majority  nearing,  and  the  graver  real- 
ities of  life  at  hand,  I  felt  the  need  of  more  sys- 
tematic mental  discipline  and  equipment  than  the 
desultory  opportunities  of  local  schools,  of  the 
printing-office  and  home  offered,  valuable  as  these 
were  in  the  absence  of  better ;  and  having  heard 
nothing  but  good  of  the  Academy  of  Walnut 
Grove,  may  be  attracted  also  by  the  classic  name 
already  chosen  for  its  post-village,  I  settled  upon 
that  school  for  such  short  attendance  as  the  re- 
mainder of  the  academic  year  allowed. 

On  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath  day,  the  day 
next  before  my  start  for  Eureka,  the  large  frame 

flouring  mill   which,  after   agriculture,  furnished 

(248) 


BEMINISCENCES.  249 

the  pioneer  industry  to  Lacon,  where  I  then  lived, 
had  burned,  and  my  duty  as  foreman  of  the  local 
hose  company  had  led  me  to  "  the  perilous  age  of 
battle,  where  it  raged,"  so  that  I  reached  Eureka 
the  next  day  with  a  badly  scorched  and  thickly 
swathed  hand.  Nothing,  however,  detracted  from 
the  pleasure  with  which  I  rode  under  the  noble 
shades  of  the  beautiful  grove  which  then  stretched 
almost  unbroken  across  the  present  lines  of  the 
railways  intersecting  at  Eureka  and  across  most 
of  the  present  site  of  the  village. 

"  The  groves  were  God's  first  temples.     Ere  man  learned 
To  hew  the  shaft  and  lay  the  architrave, 
And  spread  the  roof  above  them, — ere  he  framed 
The  lofty  vault,  to  gather  and  roll  back 
The  sound  of  anthems, — in  the  darkling  wood, 
Amidst  the  cool  and  silence,  he  knelt  down 
And  offered  to  the  Mightiest  solemn  thanks 
And  supplication.        .... 
Be  it  ours  to  meditate 
In  these  calm  shades  thy  milder  majesty, 
And  to  the  beautiful  order  of  thy  works 
Learn  to  conform  the  order  of  our  lives/' 

Eureka  was  then  a  little  place.  Probably  not 
one-tenth  the  number  of  its  present  population 
resided  permanently  in  the  hamlet.  Scarcely  a 
house  considered  as  belonging  to  it  stood  on 
any  other  road  or  street  than  that  in  front  of  the 
Academy  buildings.  I  do  not  at  this  moment 
recall  any  other  store  or  shop  than  the  small  but 
exceedingly  varied  mercantile  establishment  and 


250  HISTORY  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE. 

post-office  kept  at  the  crossing  of  the  roads. 'by 
the  hale,  good-natured  Clark,  whose  family  formed 
so  large  an  element  in  the  educational  and  par- 
ticularly social  life  of  the  place.  There  was  but 
one  Academy  building  proper,  besides  the  board- 
ing-house. The  chapel  and  recitation-rooms  were 
all  under  a  single  roof,  occupying  a  small,  but 
then  sufficient,  two-story  brick  building,  called  the 
Academy.  A  few  rods  from  it,  and  nearer  the 
road,  was  the  frame  boarding-house,  which,  judg- 
ing from  the  picture  in  the  recent  catalogue  before 
me,  may  be  the  present  "  Hall  No.  2."  Here  I 
was  most  kindly  and  hospitably  received  by  mine 
host.  John  Major,  brother  of  Jo  Major,  whose 
name  I  am  glad  to  recognize .  in  the  list  of  the 
present  Board  of  Trustees.  I  am  sure  he  has  a 
warm  place  in  the  hearts  of  all  his  former  board- 
ers. Under  a  previous  landlord  it  had  been  a 
favorite  trick  of  the  boys  to  accomplish  the  easy 
feat  at  a  meal  of  eating  up  everything  upon  the 
table,  and  then  piling  the  plates.  But  no  one 
ever  proposed  the  like  in  Major's  time  there  ;  in 
fact,  it  was  practicably  impossible.  An  ample 
supply  of  plaiu  but  wholesome  and  toothsome 
food  always  awaited  us,  whose  partaking  was  al- 
ways prefaced  by  pious  thanks  duly  rendered  to 
the  Giver  of  all  good. 

The  teachers  of  the  time  were  principally  Pro- 
fessor Fisher,  whom  I  had  the  pleasure  to  meet  at 


EEMINISCENCES.  251 

his  present  home  in  Kansas  City  three  years  ago , 
and  Professor  Neville,  a  brilliant  young  bachelor 
who  was  much  the  object  of  tender  solicitude  on 
the  part  of  young  lady  students  and  match-mak- 
ing mammas,  whom  I  also  met  with  great  satisfac- 
tion long  after  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  where  for  many 
years  he  has  been  a  successful  teacher.  Among 
the  students  whom  I  remember  best,  and  most  of 
whom  have  made  reputable  if  not  famous  figures 
in  affairs  since,  were  Ben  Radford,  later  a  graduate 
of  '66,  minister, 'editor  and  lecturer  of  large  note; 
Ben  Davenport,  who  afterwards  went  to  Harvard, 
and  has  since  had,  I  am  told,  a  rather  varied,  per- 
haps picturesque  career  as  lawyer  and  politician  ; 
Noel  Meek  a  few  years  afterwards  Sheriff  of  Wood- 
ford  county  ;  the  Earls,  H.  S.  and  Jo,  of  whom  the 
former  blessed  my  sight  last  year  at  the  State  Dis- 
ciple Convention  in  this  city,  on  his  return  from 
some  years'  service  in  Liverpool,  England  ;  Henry 
Clay  Mannen,  a  one-armed  student  of  excellent 
disposition  and  culture,  who  died  during  his  at- 
tendance here  ;  Libbie  Maxwell  (since  Shaw,  and 
now  Halsey),  grand-daughter  of  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  useful  ministers  in  Northern  Illinois,  the 
Rev.  Father  Palmer,  and  daughter  of  one  of  the 
best  citizens  Marshall  county  ever  had  ;  Anna 
Major,  and  a  few  others. 

My  short  term  passed  rapidly  and  most  pleas- 
antly in  the  lovely  grove  and  among  its  kindly 


252  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

and  gentle  people.  Almost  every  one  in  the  set- 
tlement was  then  of  the  Disciple  faith,  and  most 
of  them  were  Kentuckians.  Their  warm-hearted 
friendliness  and  hospitality,  the  seclusion  and 
quiet  of  the  scholastic  retreat,  its  absolute  freedom 
from  drunkenness  or  other  outbreaking  vice,  and 
the  superior  advantages  offered  by  the  school, 
comparatively  humble  as  it  was,  combined  to 
make  my  brief  sojourn  there  one  of  the  brightest 
spots  of  a  generally  happy  and  healthful  life,  now 
verging  hard  upon  six  decades.  One  of  my  favor- 
ite walks  had  been  to  the  verge  of  the  great  prairie 
but  a  little  distance  to  the  east  of  the  buildings  ; 
and  during  the  next  three  years  far  and  away,  the 
pleasantest  excursions  I  took  from  my  home  at  the 
northward  were  across  the  prairies  to  the  dear 
school-home  in  the  grove. 

"  These  are  the  gardens  of  the  desert — these 
The  unshorn  fields,  boundless  and  beautiful, 
For  which  the  speech  of  England  has  no  name, 
The  prairies.     .     .     .     Lo !  they  stretch 
In  airy  undulations  far  away, 
As  if  the  ocean  in  his  gentlest  swell 
Stood  still,  with  all  his  rounded  billows  fixed 
And  motionless  forever." 

I  quote  this,  also  the  u  Forest  Hymn "  above, 
perhaps  needlessly,  but  from  (to  me)  a  surpassing- 
interest  of  association,  since  I  use  in  quotation  the 
identical  book  that  at  least  once  accompanied  me 
in  these  delightful  rides, — an  early  edition  of 


REMINISCENCES.  253 

Bryant,  lately  in  my  father's  library,  but  since  his 
lamented  death  last  year  one  of  the  most-prized 
treasures  of  my  own.  The  gifted  lady  friends  who 
were  sometimes  my  companions  in  these  tours  ;  the 
remarkably  accomplished  music  teacher  for  a  year 
at  the  school,  Miss  Ellen  Frances  True,  of  Ohio, 
sister  of  one  of  the  young  Buckeye  poets  of  the 
time,  she  accompanying  me  on  a  Sunday  trip  to 
one  of  Bro.  Burgess's  church  services  at  a  distance 
in  the  grove;  and  others  whose  memory  is  delight- 
fully bound  up  with  these  occasional  visits,  are 
also  bright  among  the  recollections  of  those  years. 

Progress  was  observable  at  every  visit.  The 
Academy  had  become  the  College  in  1855,  but 
took  form  as  such  rather  gradually.  The  talented 
Burgess  joined  the  faculty,  also  Barton  Johnson,  of 
the  pioneer  Washington  family,  whose  brother,  J. 
B.,  is  my  neighbor  in  Detroit,  as  the  popular  pas- 
tor of  the  Central  Christian  Church  ;  and  tempo- 
rarily others  who  aided  to  give  the  new  foundation 
power  and  fame. 

The  sturdy  Scotch  scholar-farmer,  George  Callen- 
der,  was  for  a  time  President,  but  had  left  the 
chair  he  occupied,  as  had  also  Burgess  for  the 
time  being,  Neville  and  Miss  True,  when  I  return- 
ed in  the  spring  of  1858  to  take  °  some  further 
preparation  for  an  Eastern  college.  The  Presi- 
dent of  the  school  was  now  that  fine  classical  and 
general  scholar  of  German  stock,  Dr.  Charles 


254  HIS  TOE  Y  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE, 

Louis  Loos,  whom  I  am  happy  to  meet  here  al- 
most every  summer,  as  he  makes  his  annual  visit 
to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Campbell,  of  Detroit.  The 
faithful  Fisher  still  remained,  with  Johnson,  these 
three  being  the  only  full  professors.  S.  E.  Pearre, 
M.  D.,  was  assistant  professor;  Miss  M.  Josephine 
Myers,  assistant  in  the  Preparatory  Department ; 
and  Mrs.  M.  Augusta  Buckley,  teacher  of  music. 
The  railroad,  then  the  eastern  extension  of  the 
Peoria  and  Oquawka,  by  this  time  connected  the 
village  with  Peoria,  and  hopelessly  broke  the  old- 
time  solitude  and  stillness  of  the  place.  A  busier 
village  had  begun  to  cover  the  forest  spaces  be- 
tween the  college  and  the  tracks  ;  the  post-office 
had  been  removed  to  the  new  town ;  the  community 
had  become  more  mixed,  not  altogether  to  its  ad- 
vantage, and  generally  a  new  era  had  set  yi. 
There  was  still  a  good  school  there  upon  the  old 
site,  however ;  the  first  college  building  had  been 
erected,  though  it  did  not  yet  contain  a  full-fledged 
college.  Again  my  limited  term  passed  quickly, 
profitably  and  happily.  The  catalogue  of  that 
year  is  before  me,  and  bristles  with  points  of 
interest.  The  old  families  of  Eureka  and  Wood- 
ford  County,  and  those  of  similar  names  in  other 
regions,  mustef  strong  in  the  lists  of  students  of 
thirty-five  years  ago.  Here  are  nine  Myerses,  five 
boys  and  four  girls  ;  as  many  Martins  divided 
as  seven  and  two  ;  Skeltons,  five  and  two ;  Clarks 


BEMINISCENCES.  255 

and  Joneses,  each  three  and  four ;  Davidsons,  four 
and  two  ;  Wests,  three  and  three,  and  Wellmans, 
three  and  two ;  Smiths  six,  and  Darsts  five  on  the 
male  side  only;  Hales  four;  Hayneses,  Burtons, 
McCulloughs  and  Conovers,  three  each,  on  the 
gentler  side  only  (I  believe  an  incidental  remark 
of  mine  concerning  the  Conover  home,  that  had 
also  some  attractive  lady  boardeis,  gave  it  name 
as  "The  Bower  of  Beauty") ;  Majors,  four  and  one  ; 
Bakewells,  three  and  one ;  Brubakers,  two  and 
one ;  Dickinsons,  Radfords,  Bullocks,  Grahams 
and  Paynes,  three  boys  or  young  men  apiece  ; 
Gastmans  and  Hallams,  two  each.  The  two  Doug- 
las sisters,  of  Vinton,  Iowa,  were  great  social  favor- 
ites. A  number  of  these  students  staid  by  the 
college  to  full  graduation — Rowell,  since  Congress- 
man of  high  repute,  in  1861,  also  the  year  of 
Tommy  Bryan,  now  of  Kansas  City;  of  Carpenter, 
since  a  college  president  at  Colusa,  Cal. ;  of  Mollie 
Clark  Hawk,  of  Mt,  Carroll,  111.;  Dave  Hallam, 
merchant  at  Los  Angeles,  Cal.;  Rutilia  Gillum 
Hoyt,  of  Forest,  111.;  A.  H.  Smith  and  Sallie  David- 
son Crawford,  of  Eureka ;  J.  Frank  Davidson, 
Esq.,  of  Hannibal,  Mo.;  and  Rev.  H.  D.  Clark 
("Deacon"  of  old),  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky.  Sixty-one 
was  the  great  year  of  the  students  of  '58.  The 
previous  year  had  brought  the  pioneer  graduate 
of  the  college  proper — Lige  Dickinson,  who  I  see 
remains  at  the  old  home.  In  1852  the  sole  Eureka 


256  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

graduate  was  the  Rev.  Sarn  Hallam,  now  of  Bel- 
ton,  Texas ;  the  next  year  came  Leroy  Skelton, 
since  deceased,  and  Elder  Eli  Fisher,  whom  I 
gladly  met  in  the  summer  of  1888,  at  his  home 
amid  the  mountains  of  Montana  ;  and  in  '68  Laura 
Fisher  Gibson,  now  with  or  near  her  people  in 
Kansas  City ;  S.  F.  Davidson,  a  Chicago  editor, 
and  Emma  Clark  Crow,  of  Pittsfield,  111. 

Others  will  contribute  such  abundant  and  pos- 
sibly redundant  store  of  personal  reminiscence 
that  I  need  not  take  time  and  space  for  mine.  I 
simply  add  that  I  account  the  Dedication  Address 
for  the  H.  C.  Mannen  monument  and  the  Repre- 
sentative Address  for  the  Periclesian  Society,  dur- 
ing the  closing  days  of  my  last  term  at  Eureka, 
as  the  most  satisfactory  honors  of  all  my  school 
life.  Blessings  on  the  dear  old  place !  I  would 
adopt  and  adapt  for  it  the  personal  German  bene- 
diction, "  May  you  live  a  thousand  years  !" 

HENRY  A.  FORD. 

Detroit,  Mich. 


EXPERIENCES  OF  A  MINISTERIAL  STUDENT. 

Among  the  many  interesting  experiences  that 
enter  into  the  life  of  a  college  student,  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  fix  upon  those  which  ought  to  have  first 
place  in  a  brief  chapter  of  reminiscences.  Perhaps 
it  is  as  well  to  begin  with  a  glance  at  ante  college 
days. 

When  a  little  boy,  living  in  Eureka,  the  writer's 
notions  of  the  college  students  were  about  the  same 
as  those  of  other  "youngsters"'  of  the  town,  name- 
ly, that  they  were  a  lot  of  conceited  young  folks, 
who  felt  themselves  to  be  above  their  juniors,  and 
whom  it  would  vastly  benefit  to  l?e  "taken  down  a 
notch."  One  way  in  which  this  desirable  end  was 
occasionally  realized  was  by  inveigling  some  of 
the  college  students  into  a  spelling  match  with  the 
children  of  the  "district"  school,  which  would  be 
held  in  the  old  red  brick  Academy  on  Friday 
afternoon  or  night.  We  always  "downed"  them  in 
these  contests,  for,  whatever  superiority  they  might 
possess  over  us  in  all  the  other  elements  of  an  edu- 
cation, some  of  us  knew  Webster's  and  McGuffey's 
spellers  by  heart,  and  were  simply  invincible.  How 
we  would  gloat  over  their  discomfiture  when  some 

tall   six-footer    from    the    Junior   class  would  go 
17  (257) 


258  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

down  on  a  huge  polysyllable,  which  would  be  fair- 
ly caught  out  of  his  mouth  by  a  barefooted  little 
"shaver"  of  ten  or  twelve,  and  spelled  with  a  rap- 
idity and  ease  that  showed  it  to  be  almost  a  me- 
chanical process  with  him.  When,  after  an  ab- 
sence of  several  years,  I  returned  to  enter  college, 
I  found  that  this  custom  had  been  abandoned,  and 
that  the  students  had  but  little  intercourse  with 
the  pupils  of  the  public  schools.  Whether  this 
was  because  the  former  had  learned  caution  from 
past  experiences,  or  because  the  latter  had  degen- 
erated in  spirit  and  ambition,  I  do  not  venture  to 
say. 

As  a  college  student  I  was,  of  course,  thrown  in- 
to closest  relations  with  those  who,  like  myself, 
were  preparing  for  the  ministry,  and  I  find  the 
memories  of  the  associations  gathering  about  this 
calling  coming  back  most  freshly  to  my  mind. 
With  one  fact,  as  I  look  back  upon  those  days,  I 
am  deeply  impressed,  namely,  the  uniform  respect 
with  which  these  theological  striplings  were  treat- 
ed by  the  kind  people  of  Eureka  and  vicinity.  In 
some  colleges  the  students  of  theology  are  looked 
down  upon  by  their  fellow-students  and  the  citi- 
zens of  the  community.  If  not  openly  shown, 
there  is  yet  a  latent  feeling  of  disrespect  toward 
them,  as  though  their  peculiar  calling  were  less 
manly  than  others.  But  the  very  atmosphere  of 
Eureka  always  seemed  to  envelop  the  young 


REMINISCENCES.  259 

preacher  with  kindly  influences  which  gave  him 
most  pleasing  visions  of  the  vocation  upon  which 
he  was  entering.  Most  of  the  ministerial  students 
were  poor  boys,  who  had  to  make  their  way 
through  college  by  the  most  arduous  toil  and  the 
severest  self-denial.  As  soon  as  he  could  muster 
up  courage  to  stand  before  a  congregation,  the  can- 
didate for  the  ministry  would  begin  to  "practice" 
on  some  of  the  village  or  country  churches  in  the 
vicinity,  and  if  he  proved  to  be  at  all  acceptable 
as  a  speaker,  he  would  soon  find  churches  that 
would  pay  him  a  few  dollars  a  visit.  The  writer 
recalls  vividly  the  pride  with  which  he  returned 
from  preaching  his  first  sermon,  carrying  in  his 
pocket  a  five  dollar  bill,  and  in  his  heart  the  mem- 
ory of  many  kind  words  of  encouragement ;  which 
to  him  were  better  than  gold  or  silver.  To  some 
of  us  who  used  regularly  to  administer  our  very 
crude  ideas  to  these  long-suffering  churches,  it  now 
seems  wonderful  with  what  tenacity  the  churches 
around  Eureka  have  held  on  to  life.  Some  of  them 
even  grew  under  the  labors  of  these  raw  young 
preachers,  and  very  few,  if  any,  actually  died  un- 
der the  infliction.  Among  the  churches  which 
will  always  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance  by 
the  preachers  educated  at  Eureka,  for  their  gener- 
ous financial  assistance,  kindly  forbearance  and 
thoughtful  sympathy,  should  be  prominently  men- 
tioned Mount  Zion,  Secor,  Versailles,  White  Oak 


260  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

Grove,  Pontiac,  Flanagan,  Saunemin,  and  others, 
no  doubt,  that  will  occur  to  the  mind  of  many  an 
old  student.  The  writer  remembers  one  young 
preacher  who,  for  nearly  a  year,  visited  regularly 
two  of  these  churches,  wearing  a  suit  of  clothes 
which  he  had  entirely  outgrown,  and  which  were 
patched  in  so  many  places  as  to  reveal  a  dis- 
astrously low  state  of  finances  on  his  part ;  yet 
he  never  heard  an  unkind  or  criticising  word 
from  any  person  at  his  expense.  Their  sym- 
pathy was  so  real  that  it  could  be  felt,  and 
was  unspeakably  helpful  to  him.  Of  course, 
there  were  some  candidates  for  the  ministry  who 
were  not  very  highly  esteemed  in  the  com- 
munity and  college,  and  whose  services  were  not 
welcomed  by  the  churches ;  but  these  were,  in  the 
main,  young  men  who  had  no  true  conception  of 
the  dignity  of  the  gospel  ministry,  and  were  aspir- 
ing to  it  merely  for  a  little  cheap  glory,  or  to  se- 
cure, as  they  supposed,  an  easy  mode  of  living. 
They  usually  found  out  their  mistake  very  soon, 
and  either  left  school  or,  at  least,  gave  up  their 
purpose  of  preaching.  With  rare  exceptions  the 
earnest  young  man,  whose  heart  was  set  on  the 
work  of  preaching  Christ,  whether  his  talents  were 
ordinary  or  extraordinary,  found  a  welcome  place 
in  the  esteem  of  the  people  and  in  the  pulpits  of 
the  churches. 

It  will  readily  be  understood  that  the  student 


REMINISCENCES.  261 

who  had  regular  preaching  appointments  to  fill 
was  under  the  necessity  of  working  hard,. if  he  suc- 
ceeded in  keeping  up  his  studies  and  giving  satis- 
faction to  the  churches  for  which  he  spoke  on 
Lord's  days.  At  the  close  of  a  hard  week's  work, 
ending,  perhaps,  with  an  oration  or  debate  in  one 
of  the  societies,  which  had  required  all  his  extra 
time  during  the  preceding  days  of  the  week,  he 
had  to  start  for  his  appointment  on  Saturday,  pre- 
paring his  sermons  for  the  next  day  while  on  the 
train,  or  after  arriving  at  his  destination.  If  he 
drove  to  his  appointment,  the  buggy  became  his 
study,  and  he  would  find  himself  audibly  thinking 
out  his  discourse,  as  he  followed  the  winding  tim- 
ber road,  or  pursued  the  straight  and  uninteresting 
lane  that  followed  the  section  lines  across  the 
broad  prairies.  Returning,  weary  from  his  jour- 
ney, often  not  till  Monday  afternoon,  he  must  then 
make  up  his  Monday  lessons,  and  prepare  for  his 
classes  on  the  following  day.  It  was  good  dis- 
cipline, though,  and  helped  to  train  many  of  us 
for  the  experience  we  have  had  to  face  in  the  act- 
ive ministry  of  this  busy  age,  when  a  man  must  be 
able  to  do  two  days'  work  in  one,  and  to  keep  it 
up  indefinitely. 

These  young  preachers  had  their  fun,  too,  even 
when  it  was  at  their  own  expense.  One  of  the 
writer's  classmates,  whose  name  would  be  familiar 
to  most  of  our  readers,  had  such  an  experience, 


262  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

over  which  he  yet  enjoys  a  hearty  laugh.  Preach- 
ing in  a  close  and  intensely  heated  school-house, 
not  a  hundred  miles  from  Eureka,  he  was  greatly 
annoyed  by  observing  a  young  lady  on  the  front 
seat  sound  asleep,  and  attracting  attention  from  a 
large  portion  of  the  audience  by  the  comical  mo- 
tions of  her  head,  as  it  fell  forward  and  backward 
and  from  side  to  side,  at  frequent  intervals.  De- 
termined to  win  the  attention  of  the  congregation 
at  all  hazards,  he  increased  the  volume  of  his  voice 
and  the  vigor  of  his  gestures,  and  concluded  an 
animated  period  by  bringing  his  foot  down  upon 
the  floor  with  a  resounding  stamp,  when  the  "sleep- 
ing beauty"  sprang  from  her  seat  with  a  cry  of 
alarm  which  destroyed  all  the  solemnity  of  the 
service,  and  forced  the  preacher  to  end  his  dis- 
course without  the  usual  conclusion  and  exhorta- 
tion, since  he  found  himself  unable  to  restrain  his 
own  laughter,  or  that  of  the  congregation. 

Ah,  those  happy  days !  How  the  heart  thrills  as 
it  recalls  the  buoyant  spirit  that  filled  our  breasts, 
and  the  pleasing  visions  that  flitted  before  our 
imaginations.  Life  has  proved  to  be  more  of  a 
task  than  we  anticipated,  and  not  all  of  the  bright 
dreams  have  been  realized ;  but  we  have  found 
much  of  compensation,  nevertheless,  in  the  truer 
ideal  of  life  that  has  come  to  us,  as  we  have 
learned  at  the  feet  of  the  dear  Master  the  lesson  of 
loving  self-sacrifice  and  service.  And  we  are  sure 


BEMINISCENCES.  263 

that  at  least  the  alphabet  of  this  lesson  was  learn- 
ed from  the  lips  of  our  beloved  Alma  Mater. 

W.  F.  RICHARDSON. 
Denver,  Colo.,  June  20, 1893. 


STORY    OF   A    NEWSPAPER   MAN. 

In  the  beginning — but  this  is  not  a  Scripture  les- 
son, nor  am  I  one  of  the  evangelists  of  Eureka 
College,  except  in  an  indirect  sense.  Moreover,  it 
is  perhaps  better  to  leave  the  story  of  the  begin- 
ning of  Walnut  Grove  Academy  to  one  of  the 
really  old  students  ;  for,  though  my  recollection  of 
this  educational  movement  runs  back  over  forty 
years — to  1852,  in  fact — my  actual  connection 
with  it  began  in  1863,  and  it  was  in  June  of  1893 
that  I  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  a  reunion  of 
the  alumni  of  the  college  on  what  happened  to  be 
the  quarter-centennial  anniversary  of  my  gradua- 
tion, coincident,  likewise,  with  the  celebration  of 
the  quadro-eentennial  anniversary  of  the  new 
world's  discovery. 

Looked  at  in  that  broad  verbal  way,  Eureka  Col- 
lege takes  on  a  most  venerable  seeming;  for  quar- 
ter-centennial and  quadro-centennial,  literally,  are 
not  far  apart.  To  one  who  has  passed  the  half- 
century  post  on  life's  journey,  a  hundred  years 
seem  all  too  short  for  the  needs  of  knowledge-get- 
ting and  character-building,  and  one  can  begin 

to   understand  how.  in  the  sight  of  the  ever-living 

(264) 


EEMINISCENCES.  265 

God,  "one  day  is  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a 
thousand  years  as  one  day." 

Therefore  it  is,  that,  in  the  wide  view,  there  is 
not  much  difference  between  one  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury and  sixteen  of  them;  for,  after  all,  time  is 
measured  by  things  accomplished,  because  accom- 
plishment is  the  stuff  of  which  history  is  made. 
Savage  nations  have  existed  for  thousands  of 
years,  but  have  made  no  history  because  they  have 
done  nothing  in  race  advancement. 

In  that  view,  again,  Eureka  College  stretches 
far  into  the  world's  past ;  for  the  third  of  a  century 
which  has  elapsed  since  Elijah  Dickinson  received, 
in  1860,  the  first  diploma  issued  by  it,  has  witness- 
ed the  doing  of  more  things  by  man  for  man  than 
any  full  cenfury  which  preceded  it,  and  for  the 
doing  of  them  the  dear  Alma  Mater  has  borne  her 
share  in  the  preparation. 

On  the  material  side — and  material  development 
is  always  a  step  toward  the  spiritual — immense 
strides  have  been  made.  The  utilization  of  elec- 
tricity to  supply  human  needs,  which  now  holds 
such  a  conspicuous  position  in  every-day  life,  is 
practically  comprised  within  that  span,  telegraphy 
alone  ante-dating  it.  The  telephone,  the  phono- 
graph, the  telautograph,  the  electric  lamp,  the 
electric  motor,  electric  ovens,  electro-cautery,  and 
other  helpful  inventions  of  the  sort,  were  unknown, 
and  mostly  undreamed  of,  when  Elijah  Dickinson 


266  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

reached  that  part  in  the  curriculum  scheduled  in 
the  catalogue  under  the  head,  "Electricity  and 
Magnetism" — a  brief  treatise,  made  little  of,  as  an 
insignificant  province  in  the  realm  of  physics. 

In  like  manner,  remarkable  advancement  has 
been  made  in  other  material  lines.  Labor-saving 
machinery  has,  in  almost  every  department  of  hu- 
man endeavor,  lifted  some  of  the  crushing  burdens 
from  toil  and  shortened  the  hours  of  labor,  while 
cheapening  the  cost  of  life's  necessaries.  Antisep- 
tic surgery,  improved  surgical  appliances,  and  a 
wider  knowledge  of  hygiene  and  materia  medica, 
have  lengthened  the  span  of  life.  In  short,  we  are 
better  housed,  better  clothed,  better  nourished  and 
longer-lived  than  our  fathers,  because  we  know 
more  of  the  laws  of  life  and  death,  and  take  great- 
er precautions  to  obey  them.  If  we  could  but 
know  all  of  them  perfectly  and  obey  them  implic- 
itly, we  might  bid  defiance  to  death. 

Nor  is  it  only  on  the  material  side  that  we  have 
advanced  in  the  last  thirty  years.  The  world  has 
learned  many  lessons  in  justice  and  in  humanity. 
Three  great  nations — the  United  States,  Russia 
and  Brazil — have  stricken  the  shackles  from  the 
limbs  of  their  slaves,  and  have  declared  that  none 
but  free  men  shall  henceforth  dwell  within  their 
borders.  Thus  did  Christianity  assert  its  power 
alike  in  a  despotism,  a  constitutional  monarchy 
and  a  republic.  The  first  two  were  allowed  to  put 


REMINISCENCES.  267 

away  their  sin  in  peace ;  but  with  us,  because  we 
had  been  living  a  lie  before  the  world,  declaring 
freedom  inaleniable  while  aleniating  it,  a  blood 
atonement  was  exacted,  and  a  half  million  lives — 
not  witting  the  truth,  perhaps,  in  most  cases,  but 
none  the  less  really — were  offered  as  a  sacrifice  on 
the  altar  in  God's  temple  that  we  might  be  purged 
of  our  sin.  It  matters  not  that  we  of  the  north  did 
not  hold  slaves,  we  paltered  with  the  traffic  for  a 
hundred  years,  knowing  it  to  be  wrong,  and  the 
Upright  Judge  pronounced  the  alternative  sentence 
of  national  repentance  and  sacrifice  or  national 
death. 

Having  paid  the  penalty  in  full  measure,  we 
stand  before  the  Christian  world,  within  whose 
borders  the  sun  shines  on  no  slave,  purified  and 
strong,  joined  with  the  rest  of  the  Christian  world 
in  saying :  "Neither  shall  any  man,  Christian  or 
pagan,  hold  any  other  man  in  bondage." 

In  these  same  years  republicanism  has  conquer- 
ed the  western  hemisphere,  and  no  crowned  head 
now  rules  at  any  new-world  capital ;  the  flag  of 
peace  has  been  displayed  in  Rome,  the  breeding 
place  of  war;  international  arbitration  has  been 
accepted  and  put  in  practice  by  the  two  greatest 
nations  in  existence,  and  the  time  is  hastening 
apace  when  the  doors  of  the  temple  of  Janus  shall 
be  closed  forever. 

But  the  record  of  material  and  moral  progress 


268  HISTOBY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

since  the  foundation  of  the  first  Eureka  College 
building  was  laid,  does  not  set  the  full  bounds  to 
the  world's  advancement.  The  sweet  flower  of  re- 
ligion has  been  unfolding  its  petals,  one  by  one, 
revealing  beauties  unsuspected  in  that  day  when 
the  horrible  was  held  before  the  Christian  view, 
and  holy  men  saw  infants  in  hell  not  a  span  long. 
Travel  and  reading  have  broadened  our  vision  ; 
contact  with  the  members  of  other  Christian 
sects  than  ours,  and  with  the  exponents  of  other 
religions  than  ours,  have  taught  us  that  the  es- 
sentials of  the  code  of  ethics  are  everywhere  sub- 
stantially the  same  ;  that  the  differences  in  re- 
ligions are  chiefly  racial  and  social ;  and  we  are 
beginning  to  get  a  glimmer  of  the  fact  that,  in  all 
ages  and  to  all  peoples  God  has  revealed  himself  in 
such  form  as  best  suited  the  time  and  the  condition 
of  the  people  to  whom  the  revealment  came.  To 
Abraham,  the  shepherd,  He  came  as  the  guide  who 
would  show  him  a  land  rich  in  pasturage,  wherein 
his  flocks  would  increase  mightily,  and  where  his 
descendants  should  make  him  the  head  of  a  great 
nation;  to  Moses,  the  deliverer  of  the  enslaved,  He 
came  as  a  warrior  unconquerable,  ready  to  lead 
the  children  of  Israel  out  of  bondage  and  to  de- 
fend them  against  any  who  might  oppose  them. 
At  His  last  appearing,  to  a  people  looking  and 
praying  for  a  promised  King  who  should  restore 
Israel  with  a  mighty  hand  and  set  up  anew  the 


EEMINI8GENCES.  269 

throne  of  David,  He  came  as  the  Prince  of  Peace, 
promising  His  faithful  followers  a  kingdom  not  only 
incomparably  more  glorious  than  that  of  David, 
but  one  that  neither  the  powers  of  earth  nor  hell 
could  overthrow  in  time  or  eternity.  To  Buddha, 
the  contemplative,  He  appeared  as  a  teacher  of  the 
moralities,  promising  a  forward  step  in  each  right 
action  performed  toward  final  absorption  in  the 
Godhead.  To  Mohammed,  exemplar  to  a  race  of 
predatory  nomads,  He  promised,  in  return  for  ab- 
stinence in  one  direction,  indulgence  in  another, 
less  evil. 

Thus  to  each,  according  to  his  needs  and  capa- 
bilities. To  a  blind  race  we  may  suppose  he  would 
come  as  a  rushing,  mighty  wind,  to  be  heard  ;  to 
a  deaf  race,  as  a  pillar  of  fire,  to  be  seen. 

To  our  forefathers,  because  they  were  not  easi- 
ly led  by  the  sentiment  of  love,  He  came  compell- 
ing obedience  through  fear  of  everlasting  punish- 
ment. 

To  us,  who  look  with  streaming  eyes  to  Calvary, 
the  fires  of  hell  are  without  significance.  Christ 
lifted  up,  draws  us  to  Him,  and  the  smoke  of  the 
burning  no  longer  ascends  to  our  sight. 

Knowing  then  that  there  is  but  One  God,  the 
center  toward  which  all  men  of  good  will  of  all  the 
world  are  traveling,  by  whatever  road,  I  trust  we 
have  reached  a  point  where  we  are  glad  to  grasp 
by  the  hand  and  bid  God- speed  to  those  whom  we 


270  HISTORY  OF  EUEEKA    COLLEGE. 

meet  on  the  upward  way  ;  that  we  have  come  to  a 
point  where  we  are  willing  to  admit  that  a  Presby- 
terian, a  Catholic,  or  a  Buddhist  may  be  saved  by 
God's  grace. 

This  is  a  long  step,  and  the  Parliament  of  Re- 
ligions, held  in  Chicago  in  1893,  has  prepared  the 
way  for  another  step  ;  that  perhaps  the  plan  of 
salvation,  the  work  of  the  omnipotent,  omniscient 
God,  is  not  a  failure  after  all,  dooming  the  vast 
majority  of  mankind  to  eternal  punishment ;  that 
perhaps  Confucius,  and  Buddha,  and  Brahma,  and 
Mohammed  were  prophets  of  God,  commissioned 
to  reveal  Him,  each  to  his  own  people,  in  such 
guise  as  best  suited  their  characteristics  and  en- 
vironment. 

In  doing  this  we  abate  no  jot  of  the  faith  as  it  is 
revealed  to  us  and  are  absolved  no  tittle  from  the 
injunction  to  preach  it  to  all  the  world.  We  mere- 
ly recognize  them  as  a  part  of  God's  children  who 
have  not  seen  the  full  light,  as  it  has  been  reveal- 
ed to  us. 

For  this  work  I  know  no  branch  of  the  Christian 
church  so  well  equipped  in  its  attitude  as  ours. 
Unhampered  by  a  formulated  creed,  made  to  fit 
conditions  which  do  not  exist  in  missionary  lands, 
and  which  must  prove  a  hindrance  to  those  bound 
by  them,  our  evangelists  are  prepared  to  preach 
the  Word  in  its  simplicity  and  beauty.. 

In  all  this  world  there  is  nothing  so  grand  as 


REMINISCENCES.  271 

character ;  nothing  so  inspiring  as  a  lofty  ideal, 
and  it  has  been  the  good  fortune  of  our  institution 
of  learning  to  have  instructors  who  taught  that  the 
end  of  education  is  not  erudition,  but  the  formation 
of  character  ;  that  the  aim  of  scholastic  training  is 
not  to  fill  the  mind  with  facts,  but  to  enable  it  to 
evolve  principles  of  action  from  them. 

It  is  for  that  reason  that  Eureka  College,  in 
greater  measure  than  any  other  school  with  which 
I  am  acquainted,  has  sent  men  into  the  world ; 
men  in  the  broadest  and  best-sense  ;  men  controll- 
ed by  a  clear-cut  moral  standard ;  men  who  have 
been  taught  to  know  the  right  and  to  dare  to  do 
it.  S.  F.  DAVIDSON. 

Chicago,  III. 


BRIGHT   MEMORIES. 

Mrss  DICKINSON  : 

You  have  asked  me  for  reminiscences — college 
reminiscences.  My  heart  springs  lightly  to  the 
task  and  speeds  with  joyous,  winged  feet,  along 
the  backward  stretch  of  vanished  years,  to  bring 
up  retrieved  treasure  for  the  enrichment  of  "Our 
College"  book. 

Task  ?  This  is  no  task.  It  is  only  a  little  out- 
ing, on  a  summer  afternoon,  to  turn  away  from  the 
burden  and  heat  of  life's  toil-filled  present,  and 
wander,  hand  in  hand  with  memory,  through  the 
elysian  fields  of  youth  and  gladness,  or  dream  in 
delicious  leisure  on  memory's  couch  and  lay  the 
haggard  cheek  of  care  against  the  soft  plush  lin- 
ing of  those  dear  old  days,  before  we  learned  that 
life  has  a  coarser,  flannel  side,  that  must  some 
time  chafe  our  tender,  sensitive  spirits.  What 
sport  to  try  again  that  rainbow  span  that  bridges 
the  vista  of  fading  years  and  find,  at  the  farther 
end,  memory's  "pot  of  gold!"  What  rare  treasures 
are  hidden  there !  Pictures  to  grace  any  page,  for 
time  is  a  gracious  mordant  and  has  etched  into 
this  beautiful  perspective  only  such  tender  lines 

as  melt  and  blend  into  a  tender  retrospect. 

(272) 


REMINISCENCES.  273 

To  me,  no  scene  of  college  life  can  ever  be  quite 
common-place  because  of  its  beautiful  setting, 
some  little  bit  of  nature's  exquisite  carving,  which 
goes  to  make  up  the  artistic  ensemble  of  Eureka 
and  her  environment. 

The  town  itself,  now  taking  on  the  bustling  pre- 
tense of  a  callow  city,  but  then  a  bright,  cleanly 
little  village  on  the  banks  of  Walnut  Creek,  nes- 
tled in  the  hollow  of  its  silver  crescent,  like  a  star 
floating  in  the  slender  shallop  of  the  new  moon ; 
its  outlying  slopes  of  meadow  and  farm  land,  and 
its  encircling  army  of  trees,  always  beautiful, 
whether  plumed  and  helmeted  in  soft  old  pinks 
and  greens,  the  ensignia  of  spring,  or  trailing  red 
banners  wrested  from  the  outposts  of  the  advanc- 
ing frosts,  or  standing  like  grim  sentinels,  clad  in 
glittering  mail,  which  seem  to  catch  and  shiver  the 
keen  lances  of  the  furious  winter. 

With  such  a  store-house  from  which  to  draw  the 
shining  threads,  the  weaving  of  a  bit  of  personal 
recollection  would  be  delightful.  But,  alas  for 
human  frailty  ;  memory  is  a  very  treacherous  line 
with  which  to  drag  up  history  from  a  receding 
past.  That  melancholy  touch,  effacement  in  the 
past,  that  is  the  real  charm  of  retrospect,  causes  to 
vanish  many  of  the  clear-cut  lines  and  incisive  ac- 
centuating touches  of  reality  that  make  the  value 
of  history.  I  realize  that  my  memories  have  felt 
18 


274  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

this  tendering,  corrosive  touch  of  time.  The  ruined 
castles  of  the  past  are  picturesque  but  treacherous. 
The  scenes  that  were  once  actually  lived  out  on 
the  stage  of  earnest  action  have  faded  into  shifting 
panoramas,while  even  the  personnel, once  so  sharp- 
ly silhouetted  on  the  retentive  brain  of  youth,  have 
slipped  down  into  the  current  of  years,  and  now 
their  images  elude  the  grasp  and  break  into  a  con- 
fusion of  eddying  waves  which  defy  all  attempts 
to  fix  them  in  pen  pictures  on  these  pages.  I  real- 
ize that  now,  if  never  before,  one  must  descend 
from  dreams  and  vain  imaginings.  We  must  un- 
harness the  muses  and  saddle  the  patient  little 
burro,  that  sure-footed  but  plodding  beast  that 
stands  ready  to  carry  one  safely  over  the  dif- 
ficult reaches  of  literary  wanderings. 

Of  course,  scattered  here  and  there  among  my 
college  memories  are  strong  personalities,  with 
loving  hearts  and  kindly  eyes,  that  were  photo- 
graphed in  such  intensely  happy  lights  that  they 
sank  into  the  impressionable  brain  of  youth  and 
still  form  indelible  vignettes  on  memory's  pages. 
With  such  an  one  I  played  at  X,  Y,  Z,  and  strove 
for  championship  in  the  game  of  numbers.  In 
life's  strange  processes  of  transposing  and  elimina- 
tion, the  value  of  his  equation  has  far  exceeded 
mine.  Whether  the  unknown  quantity  was  souls 
to  be  winnowed  for  his  Master's  harvest,  or  diplo- 
matic honors  to  be  wrested  from  under  "The  Star 


REMINISCENCES.  275 

and  Crescent,"  the  result  was  always  the  same — 
plus,  never  minus. 

Another,  with  whom  we  measured  triangles  and 
calculated  logarithms,  seems  to  have  reached  re- 
nown by  logarithmic  methods,  while  his  class- 
mates— plodders — have  lumbered  on  by  slower 
steps. 

There  was  the  sweet  girl  friend  with  whom  I 
spent  so  many  hours  in  the  luxurious  shade  on  the 
old  campus,  while  we  made  bold  attempts  upon 
the  intricacies  of  Virgil  and  Horace.  The  sweep 
of  years  has  carried  us  wide  apart,  but  I  know 
that  lullabys  have  curved  her  lips  into  a  sweeter 
mold,  than  when  "Arma  Yirumque  Cano"  rippled 
over  them  like  the  words  of  a  nun's  "paternoster," 
and  declensions  like  "beads"  through  her  waxen 
fingers.  And  that  other — but  I  hesitate  to  pene- 
trate farther,  with  cold,  dissecting  pen,  into  the 
sacred  domain  of  friendship.  It  seems  unfair  and 
makes  one  feel  akin  to  that  Prince  of  Boredom — 
the  kodak  fiend — who  steals  upon  you  unawares 
and  fixes  you  forever  in  postures  well  enough  for 
quiet  moments  of  solitude  and  privacy,  but  to  be 
handed  down  into  posterity,  never. 

Perhaps  of  all  the  experiences  of  a  student  at 
Eureka,  the  most  enjoyable  related  to  his  or  her 
connection  with  one  of  the  literary  societies.  Of 
the  four  societies  which  graced  the  earlier  years  of 
Eureka,  but  one  admitted  girls.  In  this  one,  dear 


276  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

old  Excelsior,  I  held  my  membership  throughout 
my  college  days,  and  until  it  ceased  to  be  a  so- 
ciety. And  of  this  one  alone  will  this  brief  retro- 
spect have  time  to  write. 

Living  always  almost  within  the  shadow  of  Al- 
ma Mater,  my  memory  fails,  at  this  long  range,  to 
lix  the  actual  time  when  mere  impressions  of  Ex- 
celsior became  actual  experiences,  but  my  most 
vivid  recollections,  from  earliest  childhood,  of  gala 
days  in  Eureka,  were  of  commencement  and  Ex- 
celsior's annual  exhibitions. 

Excelsior!  a  name  to  conjure  by  in  the  realm  of 
pleasant  memories. 

Do  you  not  recall  it,  in  letters  of  living  green, 
above  the  old  brown  pulpit  of  the  little  white 
church  that  once  stood  where  now  are  silent  streets 
and  the  narrow,  crowded  homes  of  our  loved  and 
sainted  dead? 

Somewhere,  between,  above,  below  the  very  hap- 
py Latin  collocations,  "Scientia  tenebras  lam- 
pade  discutit,"  and  "Bonis  artibus  gloriam  quae- 
ramus,"  your  eyes  eagerly  sought  and  lingered 
upon  that  simple  talismanic  word,  "Excelsior!" 

What  wonders  it  wrought.  How  its  charm  ex- 
tended miles  away  and,  like  the  strange  music  of 
the  "Pied  Piper,"  drew  crowds  of  people,  in  every 
sort  of  conveyance,  scrubbed,  brushed,  and  in  holi- 
day attire,  till  they  tilled  the  church,  and,  win- 
dows having  been  removed,  each  aperture  was 


REMINISCENCES.  277 

rapidly  filled  with  a  sea  of  faces,  eagerly  alert, 
patiently  listening,  while  simple  ballads  tinkled 
from  the  queer,  old-fashioned,  maple-boxed  piano, 
and  sweet,  shy  girls  read  "The  Queen  o'  the  May" 
or  original  effusions.  At  last  came  the  "piece  de 
resistance"  of  the  evening — the  "colloquy" — a 
kind  of  dessert  after  the  solid  feast,  for  which  all 
had  reserved  an  ample  corner  in  their  innermost 
capacity  for  enjoyment. 

Simple?  Yes,  but  mawkish,  never.  Oh,  happy, 
laughing,  innocent  girlhood !  How  easy  to  win 
laurels  when  love  fills  the  judge's  seat.  It  was 
our  girls  who  sang  or  read,  looking  as  fresh  and 
fragrant  as  the  rosebuds  in  their  hair.  It  was  our 
girls  who  searched  garret  and  closet  for  quaint 
dresses,  indescribable  bonnets  and  ridiculous 
reticule,  which  formed  the  only  stage  effects  per- 
mitted in  that  sacred  place.  It  was  pur  mothers, 
whose  toil  hardened  fingers  sought  to  regain  their 
cunning,  and  patted  and  coaxed  and  stacked  and 
powdered  refractory  locks,  till  miniatures  of  them- 
selves, when,  southern  belles,  they  dispensed  the 
hospitality  of  the  Old  Dominion,  or  the  happy 
Blue  Grass  region. 

This  in  the  evolution  of  the  histrionic  art  in 
Eureka  was  the  very  earliest  period,  and  it  is  by 
no  means  to  be  supposed  that  the  development 
and  higher  demands  of  public  taste  were  not  satis- 
factorily met  by  the  bright,  ambitious  girls  who 


278  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

felt  upon  their  tender  hearts  the  burden  of  keep- 
ing up  the  dignity  of  Excelsior.  The  colloquy 
developed  from  what  at  first  was  not  much  more 
than  comic  dialogue  into  real  drama,  and  that  at 
length  became  classic  drama.  The  enthusiam 
with  which  we  threw  ourselves  into  the  study  of 
mythology  made  abiding  impressions  of  Greek 
and  Latin  deities  and  heroes,  which  years  of  sub- 
sequent reading  have  scarcely  deepened.  Many 
the  earnest  conferences  held,  diligent  the  research, 
and  cunning  the  ingenuity  displayed  to  evolve  the 
necessary  costumes  from  the  rather  scanty  mate- 
rial to  be  found  in  a  country  village.  But  no 
Fairy  god  mother  in  metamorphosis  of  Ashenputet 
into  the  splendid  princess  ever  put  such  base 
material  to  such  noble  uses.  After  a  wave  of  the 
magic  wand,  which  somehow  youth  always  pos- 
sesses, anything  was  forthcoming,  from  the  classic 
drapery  of  statuesque  Juno,  to  the  purple  buskins 
of  Venus,  or  the  martial  equipment  of  Minerva. 
The  Diana  who  poised  above  the  Agricultural 
palace  in  the  vanished  dream  city  by  the  lake 
bathed  in  a  stream  of  transforming  light,  was  riot 
half  so  wonderful  to  my  maturer  vision  as  was 
our  girlhood's  interpretation  of  the  divine  hun- 
tress, even  though,  to  those  "  behind  the  scenes," 
the  fluttering  drapery,  the  silver  crescent  and 
bended  bow  were  wonderfully  suggestive  of  tissue 
paper  and  tinsel. 


REMINISCENCES.  279 

Nor  was  classic  lore  the  only  bank  of  deposit 
those  girls  were  providing  against  a  future  con- 
tingency. Within  the  sacred  precincts  of  our 
dear  old  hall  what  brave  discussions  of  serious 
questions  waxed  warm  in  debate  or  conversazione. 
Was  not  every  chair  and  every  stiff  geometrial 
iigure  in  the  familiar  carpet  historic  ground  ?  For 
on  every  one  of  them  was  not  some  important 
battle  fought,  some  victory  gained,  some  dismal 
defeat  suffered? 

How  often  in  later  years,  when  lost  in  wonder 
at  the  dignity  and  skill  of  some  old  Eureka  girl 
in  presiding  at  conventions,  handling  measures 
and  parrying  unwelcome  questions,  have  I  said, 
she  received  her  first  training  in  Roberts'  Rules  in 
old  Excelsior. 

The  dear  old  hall !  how  the  thought  of  it  opens 
the  floodgates  of  happy  memories. 

Has  ever  sunlight,  in  recent  years,  gleamed 
across  your  pathway  half  so  golden  as  once  sifted 
in  at  those  western  windows,  through  the  warp 
and  woof  of  yellow  damask?  Every  feature  of 
that  spacious  hall  seems  knit  into  the  very  fiber 
of  our  heartstrings,  and  when  the  changes  of  ad- 
vancing years  seemed  to  demand  the  settlement  of 
the  question,  "  Shall  Excelsior  disband  ? "  to  one 
at  least  of  the  defeated  minority  the  prevalence 
of  the  "  ayes  "  was  not  only  an  inglorious  Water- 
loo, it  was  a  very  Actium,  for  in  the  swollen 


280  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

pride  of  ambitious  youth  this  hauling  down  of  the 
old  banner  was  not  only  surrender,  but  fancied 
disgrace.  ELLA  MYERS  HUFFMAN. 

Prescott,  Iowa. 


SOME  RECENT  REMINISCENCES. 

Being  one  of  the  youngest  of  the  children  of 
Eureka  College,  my  memories  have  not  yet  been 
hallowed  by  the  rare,  ecstatic  tone  of  uAuld  Lang 
Syne."  Reality  stands  so  near  that  she  almost 
deceives  me  into  thinking  that  I  am  still  respond- 
ing to  the  summons  of  the  bell,  and  living  the 
monotonous  yet  ever-varied  life  of  the  student. 

But  even  at  this  early  day  my  college  experi- 
ences are  grouping  themselves,  at  their  own  will, 
and  defiantly  fade  or  deepen  the  colors  with  which 
I  formerly  clothed  them. 

The  "perfectly  terrible"  ordeals  of  hair-breadth 
escapes  from  exposing  my  ignorance  of  lessons, 
the  smooth  sarcasm  or  cold  disgust  of  professors 
(for  which  we  could  conjure  no  cause),  and  the 
examinations,  with  their  foretaste  of  the  day  of 
Judgment — these  things,  which  we  thought  could 
never  be  forgotten,  persistently  withdraw  from 
view,  and,  like  the  sun's  spots,  can  only  be  seen 
with  lenses  and  colored  glasses.  But  memory 
keeps  polishing  the  happy  times,  the  friendships, 
the  social  gatherings,  the  walks,  the  growth  of 
ambitions  and  fair  ideals. 

When  I  entered   Eureka  College  in  1886  I  was 

(281) 


282  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

at  the  formative  age  of  fifteen,  and  my  tastes  and 
character  were  plastic. 

I  spent  four  busy  and  pleasant  years  there  be- 
fore graduation,  and  two  years  after. 

So  most  truly  has  my  Eureka  College  experi- 
ence been  "the  fair  seed-time"  of  my  life. 

My  entrance  to  the  school  was  co-incident  with 
the  presidency  of  Dr.  Carl  Johann,  and  my  whole 
student  life  seemed  tinged  with  the  spirit  of  inno- 
vation which  he  brought  with  him. 

During  this  time  we  celebrated  the  first  Arbor 
Day  with  showers  of  eloquence  which  completely 
unnerved  several  trees  and  caused  premature 
death.  But  grandly  has  our  Edmund  Burke  tree 
flourished,  which  was  rapturously  cheered  and 
exhorted  by  the  poetry  of  Maud  McDonald  and  the 
flowery  words  of  T.  A.  Boyer. 

During  my  junior  year  the  Eureka  College 
Pegasus  spread  forth  its  wings,  with  R.  E.  Hier- 
onymus  and  0.  W.  Stewart  as  literary  editors. 
We  also  started  a  successful  lecture  course,  and 
the  first  oratorical  contest  was  held. 

The  class  of  1890,  consisting  of  eight  of  "the 
finest  and  smartest"  boys  to  be  found,  and  myself, 
were  also  imbued  with  this  spirit  of  innovation. 
We  it  was  who  unceremoniously  were  "fired" 
from  Prof.  Conklin's  room  one  morning  over  a 
slight  altercation  concerning  a  problem  in  me- 
chanics, who  picked  up  our  shattered  dignity  and 


REMINISCENCES.  283 

withdrew  to  the  chapel,  organized  our  class, 
swooped  down  on  the  uBon  Ton  Restaurant"  that 
night  and  took  out  our  spite  on  oysters.  We 
were  the  first  class  to  deliver  a  course  of  lectures 
in  chapel,  forty-five  minutes  long  (their  chief 
glory).  We  also  set  the  example  of  wearing  class 
colors.  But  that  reminds  me  of  the  day  when 
the  presumptuous  Calculus  class  challenged  us  to 
a  game  of  base-ball.  Of  course  we  had  to  accept, 
being  Seniors  who  were  expected  to  carry  courage 
on  our  sleeves.  I  was  delegated  to  bear  the 
colors,  and  when  I  appeared  with  them  lusty 
cheers  and  dignified  whoops  went  up  from  the 
diamond. 

My  pride,   baloon-like,  sought    the    ether — but 

alas !  short-lived  was  my  triumph.     For (But, 

of  course,  we  were  pre-eminently  an  intellectual 
class,  rather  than  athletic). 

My  only  experience  with  boarding  halls  was 
in  1888-89,  when  Lida's  Wood  was  new.  Many 
visions  arise  with  the  memory  of  that  year  which 
I  must  restrain.  I  have  never  heard  that  I  was 
ever  considered  anything  but  a  quiet,  law-abiding 
student ;  but  my  consciousness  is  not  without 
certain  recollections  of  larks  and  adventures, 
which,  since  the  time  of  my  graduation  is  not 
long  past,  and  since  I  am  still  a  resident  of 
Eureka,  prudence  demands  should  be  kept  out 
of  print. 


284  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

But  as  an  example  of  the  esprit  de  corps,  I  will 
mention  one  incident.  My  room-mate  and  I  had 
been  the  recipients  of  a  barrel  of  nuts  and  apples 
from  home.  One  evening  we  invited  as  large  a 
number  of  girls  as  the  room  would  accommodate 
to  a  feast.  About  bed-time  we  heard  the  rav- 
ishing symphonies  of  a  band  of  serenaders,  and 
scampered  down  stairs  "to  peep."  After  awhile 
we  returned  to  the  room  and  hastily  retired.  But 
immediate  developments  caused  us  to  arise  as 
hastily,  only  to  discover  beneath  the  sheets  the 
hulls  of  the  nuts  we  had  so  generously  sacrificed. 

Whether  this  was  an  expression  of  gratitude  of 
the  girls  who  had  partaken,  or  the  envy  of  those 
who  were  not  invited,  we  have  never  discovered. 

It  was  at  Lida's  Wood  that  we  used  to  com- 
fort those  suffering  with  tooth- ache,  measles  or 
other  prevalent  fads,  by  singing,  "Oh,  turn  you, 
oh,  turn  you,  for  why  will  you  die?" 

There  also  our  landlady  set  aside  the  hours 
from  two  to  four  Sunday  afternoons  for  "medi- 
tation hours,"  and  we  took  turns  fastening  each 
other  in  the  closet,  deeming  the  seclusion  and 
quiet  of  that  place  the  most  congenial  to  medita- 
tion. 

An  incident  of  my  sophomore  year  which  is 
indelibly  stamped  in  memory,  was  my  first  ex- 
perience in  teaching.  Prof.  Herrick,  at  that 
time  Professor  of  Mathematics,  was  obliged  to  be 


REMINISCENCES.  285 

absent  one  day,  arid  conferred  upon  me  the  honor 
of  hearing  the  Geometry  class.  I  had  studied 
it  the  year  before,  and  by  a  diligent  furbishing 
again  mastered  the  exercise.  Being  rather  timid, 
I  took  my  station  in  the  rear  of  the  room  (os- 
tensibly to  see  better  the  figures  on  the  board). 
Everything  was  going  smoothly  until  I  called 
upon  a  noted  college  dunce  for  a  demonstra- 
tion. To  my  surprise  he  started  out,  but  soon 
was  in  labyrinthian  toils.  I  attempted  to  help 
him  out,  and  continued  until  I  had  given  the 
entire  demonstration.  I  was  congratulating  my- 
self on  having  made  it  very  plain,  when  the 
moment  my  voice  died  away,  he  fastened  a  vacant 
gaze  upon  me  and  laconically  uttered,  "Mom?" 
A  general  explosion  followed,  and  my  self- 
possession  had  gone  to  the  winds. 

These  and  other  oft-remembered  experiences  are 
only  random  threads  which  give  light  and  color. 
But  the  ground-work  of  the  tapestry  of  my  college 
discipline  I  have  not  attempted  to  portray,  nor 
have  I  sought  to  separate  its  closely  woven  fig- 
ures. 

No  spot  is  so  dear  to  me  as  Eureka.  My  hap- 
piest associations  cluster  about  it.  In  rambles 
about  its  shady  streets  and  neighboring  rustic 
haunts,  I  have  dreamed  most  pleasant  dreams. 
Here  is  the  birth-place  and  nourishing  lap  of  am- 
bitions and  ideals,  of  happy  friendships,  of  love's 


286  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

sweet  dream  and  blest  reality.  My  class-mates 
and  associates  are  young  in  after-graduate  life. 
Our  future  is  yet  to  be  unfolded.  Our  hopes  and 
aspirations  have  not  burned  into  cold,  gray  ashes 
on  the  hearth-stone  of  life's  experience,  but  are 
still  rainbow-tinted  and  dew-laden. 

For  the  sake  of  our  precious  Alma  Mater  may 
all  good  purposes  and  high  endeavors  of  her 
children  come  to  bountiful  fruition,  and  in  adap- 
tation of  Rip  Van  Winkle's  ever-ready  toast, 
"May  she  live  long  and  prosper." 

ELLA  SEASS  STEWART. 


MY  MEMORIES. 

In  the  getting  up  of  a  "  History  of  Eureka 
College,"  I  have  been  offered  some  space  in  its 
pages.  But  what  shall  I  say  ?  In  my  memory 
Eureka  holds  a  sacred  place.  The  young  men 
and  women  with  whom  I  was  associated  there 
will  never  be  forgotten.  At  the  same  time,  my 
whole  life  there  seems  a  good  deal  like  a  dream 
— a  something  I  have  read  about  in  books  rather 
than  a  something  I  have  lived. 

It  has  now  been  a  third  of  a  century  since  my 
connection  with  Eureka  College  was  severed.  Into 
that  third  of  a  century  all  the  activities  of  my  life 
have  been  crowded.  A  great  war  absorbed  all 
my  thoughts  during  the  years  immediately  fol- 
lowing my  life  at  Eureka.  It  will  not  seem 
strange,  perhaps,  when  I  say  that  my  college 
life  is  to  me  like  a  distant  landscape,  its  details 
all  obliterated. 

Having  led  a  very  active  life,  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  its  struggles,  successes  and  failures 
have  crowded  out  of  memory  the  lesser  things  of 

earlier  life.     Mine  was  not  an  easy  lot  while  in 

(287) 


288  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

college,  and  while  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  enjoyed 
myself  as  well  as  the  average  student,  and  had 
my  share  of  the  fun  and  of  the  folly  of  student 
life,  as  I  remember  there  is  nothing  in  all  of  it 
worth  writing  about. 

But  I  do  remember  Prof.  Fisher.  He  was  an 
earnest,  conscientious,  pains -taking  teacher,  the 
ideal  drill-master  of  preparatory  scholars.  He 
was  diffident  as  a  girl,  and  could  blush  like  one. 
I  seldom  saw  him  lose  his  temper  or  get  dis- 
couraged in  his  efforts  to  bring  his  students  for- 
ward in  their  work.  Eureka  owes  a  debt  of 
gratitude  to  one  who  labored  so  faithfully  for 
the  college  in  the  days  of  its  struggles. 

I  remember  to  have  assisted  in  taking  care  of 
him  during  a  dangerous  illness,  and  found  him 
just  as  patient,  just  as  considerate  and  uncom- 
plaining in  sickness  as  I  had  found  him  in  the 
class-room.  I  do  not  think  he  inspired  close 
friendships,  or  impressed  his  own  characteristics 
upon  his  students  to  any  great  extent,  but  his 
quiet  dignity  and  his  conscientiousness  made  such 
impressions  that  long  years  afterward  his  students 
delighted  to  recall  them. 

Looking  back  to  my  college  days,  the  scene  at 
the  old  meeting-house,  when  the  good  people  of 
Eureka  bade  us  volunteer  boys  all  good-bye  as  we 
were  about  to  enter  the  army,  is  the  one  scene  so 


REMINISCENCES.  289 

effectively  burned  into  my  memory   that   it    can 
never  be  obliterated. 

Whenever  I  think  of  Eureka,  I  think  of  that 
parting,  and  of  the  home-coming  three  years  later. 
I  also  think  of  sitting  down  behind  an  old  elm 
tree  in  the  evening  of  that  home-coming,  and  of 
having  a  good  cry  at  the  thought  that  it  was  the 
last  of  my  Eureka  life.  But  these  are  not  rem- 
iniscences of  college  life ;  they  are  rather  the 
memories  of  meeting  and  parting. 

J.  HAKVEY  ROWELL. 

19 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


THE  CHURCH  AT  EUREKA. 

The  history  of  Eureka  College  would  riot  be 
complete  without  some  account  of  the  church  here, 
to  serve  as  a  sort  of  historic  background. 

Very  many  of  the  early  settlers  of  Walnut 
Grove  were  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 
These  soon  began  to  meet  regularly  for  worship, 
first  in  the  several  log  cabin  homes,  or  in  groves, 
or  barns,  and  later,  when  a  schoolhouse  had  been 
built  they  met  in  that. 

On  an  appointed  day  in  April  of  1832,  thirteen 
of  these  met  in  the  house  of  their  preacher,  John 
Oatman,  and  organized  the  church.  These  were, 
John  Oatman,  Nancy  Oatman,  Daniel  Travis, 
Rhoda  Travis,  Joshua  Woosley,  Mary  Woosley, 
Samuel  Arnold,  Rebecca  Arnold,  Eliza  Oatman, 
Joseph  Oatman,  Clement  Oatman,  Jesse  Oatman, 
Hardin  Oatman. 

John  Oatman  was  chosen  elder,  and  Daniel 
Travis  and  Joshua  Woosley  deacons.  All  these 
have  fallen  asleep  except  one ;  Hardin  Oatman  is 
still  living  in  Missouri. 

In  a  very  short  time  the  membership  was  more 

than   doubled  by  other  Disciples  already  in  the 

(293) 


294  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

community  uniting  with  them.  Converts  were 
made  also,  and  the  numbers  increased  for  several 
years.  Then  some  disturbing  influences  arose 
that  checked  the  growth  for  awhile.  Meantime 
Elder  Oatman  moved  away,  and  the  church  became 
somewhat  disorganized. 

During  the  years  1834,  '35,  '36,  there  came  into 
the  community  with  their  families,  William  Dav- 
enport, a  minister,  B.  J.  Radford,  Sr.,  Ben  Major, 
Elijah  Dickinson,  E.  B.  Myers  and  A.  M.  Myers. 
These  had  all  been  active  Christians  before  com- 
ing here,  and  of  course  continued  active  in  church 
work. 

About  1836  a  partial  re-organization  of  the 
church  was  made,  and  Ben  Major  elected  elder. 
In  1837  Elijah  Dickinson  was  also  called  to  the 
eldership,  and  B.  J.  Radford,  Sr.,  made  one  of  the 
deacons. 

Revival  meetings  were  held  from  time  to  time, 
occasionally  in  some  thick  grove,  but  often  on  the 
broad  threshing-floor  of  one  of  the  few  big  barns 
of  that  time,  temporary  seats  being  provided. 
These,  of  course,  were  always  held  in  the  warm 
season.  There  was  a  forenoon  and  an  afternoon 
service,  daily,  separated  by  about  two  hours  for 
basket-dinner  and  recreation.  At  the  close  of  the 
afternoon  service,  all  returned  to  their  farm  homes 
to  attend  to  the  chores  and  prepare  for  the  next 


MISCELLANEOUS.  295 

day's  services,  for  there  was  no  town  here  tfyen,  nor 
for  a  long  time  after. 

It  was  not  till  the  summer  of  1846  that  the 
church  felt  ready  to  provide  for  itself  a  house  of 
worship.  Then  u  The  Old  Meeting  House  "  was 
built — the  first  in  the  community — a  frame  one, 
facing  the  west,  with  two  doors  in  front,  and  a 
boxed-up  black  walnut  pulpit  between  them.  It 
stood  just  within  the  north  limit  of  the  cemetery, 
about  where  the  Soldiers'  Monument  now  stands, 
the  lot  having  been  given  for  church  and  burial 
uses  by  Elder  Ben  Major.  Happy  were  those  de- 
voted people  when  at  last  they  had  a  church  house 
of  their  own,  built  wholly  by  their  own  labor  and 
with  their  own  means,  earned  with  difficulty  in 
their  pioneer  poverty.  The  prevailing  spirit  of 
the  church  from  the  first  had  been  enterprising, 
earnest,  devout.  Many  were  the  meetings  kfor  de- 
votion held  within  those  consecrated  walls,  and 
more  than  a  few  were  held  there  to  counsel  togeth- 
er for  devising  ways  xand  means  for  building  up  an 
institution  of  learning  much  better  than  the  com- 
mon school. 

And  God's  blessing  rested  upon  these.  The  in- 
stitution was  established  and  developed  year  by 
year.  The  church  increased  more  and  more.  The 
relation  between  the  two  was  so  close  that  their 
interests  were  almost  identical  from  the  first,  and 
they  have  so  continued. 


296  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

,  With,  passing  years  other  changes  came.  In 
1856  the  T.  P.  &  W.  railroad  was  built  through 
and  the  village  was  laid  out.  Soon  the  congrega- 
tion outgrew  the  house.  Then  a  new  church  house 
had  to  be  built,  and  built  down  town,  and  in  1863 
the  present  brick  structure  was  raised.  "  The  Old 
Meeting  House  "  about  which  had  gathered  so 
many  sweet  and  tender  memories,  was  sold,  and 
passed  to  mercantile  uses,  and  at  present  forms 
part  of  Vandyke's  flour  and  feed  store.  The  only 
part  of  it  still  in  church  use,  so  far  as  I  know,  is 
the  cushioned  walnut  frame  on  which  the  Bible 
rested.  This  was  transferred  to  the  new  house, 
and  still  crowns  the  pulpit  and  bears  up  before  the 
people  the  Word  of  God.  Long  may  its  good  ser- 
vice continue. 

The  church  has  grown  until  it  now  has  about 
850  members,  and  is  prospering  numerically  and 
spiritually  under  the  fostering  care  of  its  minister 
with  the  following  board  of  officers. 

ELDERS  AND  TEUSTEES  :  John  Darst,  E.  W. 
Dickinson,  D.  R.  Howe,  C.  B.  Pickerill,  N.  B. 
Crawford,  G.  W.  Hootman  and  W.  T.  Barnett. 

DEACONS  :  W.  S.  Allen,  D.  P.  Harber,  Jo  Ma- 
jor, F.  M.  Hoyt,  J.  A.  McGuire,  F.  A.  Musick,  E.  S. 
Cambe,  S.  W.  Hall,  F.  M.  Darst,  H.  N.  Herrick,  R. 
E.  Hieronymus,  W.  H.  Davis,  W.  W.  Pratz,  A.  J. 
Mourer  and  A.  W.  Smith. 

DEACONESSES  :  Mrs.  Barbara  Hamilton,  Mrs.  B. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  297 

D.  Meek,  Mrs.  Jane  C.  Davidson,  Mrs.  W.  S.  Allen. 

MINISTER:  W.  H.  Cannon. 

It  has  again  quite  outgrown  its  house  of  wor- 
ship, and  is  now  considering  what  it  would  better 
do  in  the  way  of  enlargement — whether  add  to  the 
present  building,  or  tear  this  one  down  and  build 
a  larger  one. 

It  has  ever  been  blessed  with  good  preaching 
service,  but  never  with  what  is  known  as  pastoral 
work  till  the  spring  of  1868,  when  A.  S.  Hayden 
responded  to  a  call  to  take  charge  of  it.  He  re- 
mained three  years.  Then  for  a  while  there  were 
several  short  pastorates,  with  periods  of  preaching 
only  intervening  between  them.  At  the  beginning 
of  1886,  J.  G.  Waggoner,  a  graduate  of  Eureka 
College,  was  induced  to  undertake  this  ministry, 
and  has  just  now,  at  the  beginning  of  1894,  re- 
signed, and  W.  H.  Cannon,  also  a  graduate  of  the 
College,  has  taken  up  the  work. 


AMOS  SUTTON  HAYDEN. 

This  genial,  faithful  minister  of  the  gospel,  was. 
born  in  Youngstown,  Ohio,  September  17,  1813. 
He  was  the  youngest  of  eight  children,  seven  of 
whom  were  sons,  and  was  also  the  father  of  eight 
children,  seven  of  whom  were  sons.  From  early 
boyhood  he  was  studious,  and  devoted  much  of 
his  time  to  reading  useful  books.  Was  especially 
fond  of  religious  works. 

His  religious  convictions  were  early  and  deep. 
His  parents  were  members  of  the  Baptist  Church, 
and  he  was  brought  up  in  that  belief,  but  was 
never  satisfied  with  the  doctrines  of  that  church. 
In  his  fifteenth  year  he  heard  the  gospel  preached 
by  Walter  Scott,  by  whom  he  was  immersed,  and 
soon  after  began  to  speak  in  public.  In  1832  he 
began  to  hold  protracted  meetings.  In  1840  he 
located  with  the  church  at  Collamer,  Ohio,  as  its 
pastor,  and  in  1850,  when  Western  Reserve  Eclectic 
Institute  was  founded,  at  Hiram,  Ohio,  he  was 
unanimously  elected  its  Principal.  After  seven 
years  successfully  devoted  to  that  work,  he  resign- 
ed, and  returned  to  his  church  work  in  Collamer- 

(298) 


MISCELLANEOUS.  299 

Early  in  1868  he  accepted  a  call  from  the  church 
at  Eureka,  Illinois,  where  he  spent  three  years  in 
earnest,  faithful  work  in  the  congregation  and 
among  the  college  students.  He  was  a  man  of 
refined  nature  and  of  fervent  devotion,  and  his 
influence  always  and  everywhere  was  excellent. 
He  was  much  beloved  for  his  work's  sake. 

In  1871  he  again  returned  to  Collamer,  where  he 
spent  the  remaining  ten  years  of  his  beautiful, 
useful  life,  ministering  to  the  church  with  which 
he  had  lived  so  long,  then  entered  into  his  rest. 


JOHN  GARLAND  WAGGONER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  so  intimately  con- 
nected with  our  religious,  missionary  and  educa- 
tional work  in  Illinois  for  more  than  twenty  years, 
was  born  in  Moultrie  county,  Illinois,  about  eight 
miles  west  of  Mattoon,  April  22, 1844.  His  father, 
Edward  M.  Waggoner,  of  German  extraction,  was 
born  in  Rutherford  county,  North  Carolina,  and 
with  his  fathers  family,  chiefly  for  their  anti-slave- 
ry views,  came  to  Illinois  in  1829,  settling  in  Moul- 
trie county,  about  seven  miles  south  of  Sullivan. 
The  older  Waggoners  were  active  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  made  enterprising  pioneers  for  the  new 
West.  Susan  Adaline  Waggoner,  the  mother  of 
J.  G.,  was  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Garland  Simms, 
another  pioneer,  from  Owen  county,  Kentucky. 
She  died  the  spring  after  J.  G.  was  born,  and  his 
father  died  a  year  later. 

Before  his  father's  death,  the  orphan  boy  had 
been  committed  to  his  aunt,  Nancy  M.  Waggon- 
er. In  1848  she  was  married  to  Mr.  A.  H.  Ed- 
wards. In  their  happy,  intelligent,  industrious 
home  he  grew  to  manhood,  in  the  enjoyment  of 

every  favor  of  an  own  son.    Mr.  Edwards  was  well 

(300) 


MI8CELLANEO  US.  301 

educated,  and  early  inspired  in  all  his  family  high 
and  noble  purposes  for  life.  His  only  living  son, 
Elder  Thomas  Edwards,  is  an  able  Christian  min- 
ister of  Giiroy,  Gal. 

During  his  childhood  and  youth  J.  G.  attended 
the  country  school  in  winter  and  worked  with  his 
uncle  in  his  tan-yard  and  on  his  little  farm  in  sum- 
mer. His  early  purpose  to  become  a  minister  of 
the  Gospel  was  ever  his  ruling  purpose. 

In  the  spring  of '64  he  formed  the  acquaintance 
of  Elder  J.  W.  Tyler,  the  father  of  the  well-known 
Christian  ministers,  B.  B.  and  J.  Z  Tyler.  By 
father  Tyler's  counsel  and  the  encouragement  of 
his  uncle  Edwards,  he  entered  Eureka  College  in 
the  fall  of  '64.  Want  of  means  made  his  attend- 
ance somewhat  irregular,  but,  by  making  fires,  saw- 
ing wood,  teaching  school  and  preaching,  he  was 
enabled  to  graduate  in  the  classical  course  June  6, 
'72.  Three  years  later  Eureka  College  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 

Bro.  Waggoner  has  been  twice  married  ;  the  first 
time  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Cox,  of  Mattoon,  April  4, 
1867;  and  the  second  time  to  Miss  Ann  A.  Fouke, 
of  Shelbyville,  Illinois,  January  28,  '86.  He  feels 
inexpressible  gratitude  to  God  for  such  faithful, 
noble  and  true  companions,  who  have  shared  so 
patiently  his  burdens,  and  added  so  much  to  his 
success.  True,  a  minister's  wife  often  has  the 


302  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

harder  lot,  but  her  reward  awaits  her  at  her  Mas- 
ter's hand. 

Bro.  Waggoner  has  four  living  children — Wil- 
liam H.,  Edward  F.,  Harvey  G.,  and  Susan  M. — all 
of  whom  have  obeyed  the  Gospel. 

He  was  baptized  by  Elder  B.  W.  Henry,  August 
18,  1859.  His  people  generally  were  Predestina- 
rian  Baptists,  but  his  uncle  Edwards  and  wife  were 
prominent  pioneer  Disciples.  He  began  early  to 
take  some  part  in  prayer- meetings  and  preached 
his  first  sermon  in  the  spring  of  '65.  He  was  for- 
mally ordained  by  authority  of  the  church  at 
Princeton,  Illinois,  April  16,  1868,  Elders  George 
McManis  and  G.  W.  Mapes  officiating.  This  was 
during  his  first  special  work,  which  lasted  but  one 
year.  During  this  year  he  held  his  first  protracted 
meeting,  when  about  fifteen  became  obedient  to  the 
faith. 

From  1868  to  1870  he  was  at  Lostant,  Illinois, 
preaching  and  teaching  school.  He  then  re-entered 
Eureka  College.  Before  his  graduation  the  church 
at  Harristown  extended  him  a  unanimous  call  to 
become  its  minister.  During  the  following  five 
years  he  served  this  church,  which  was  about 
doubled  in  membership,  its  first  young  people's 
society  was  organized  and  several  mission  Sunday- 
schools  were  conducted. 

His  health  giving  way,  he  resigned,  spent  two 
months  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  arid  in  the  fall  of 


MIS  CELL  ANEO  US.  303 

'77  was  called  to  preach  for  the  church  in  Shelby- 
ville,  Illinois.  Daring  the  following  five  years  the 
church,  notwithstanding  many  deaths  and  remov- 
als, about  doubled  its  membership,  and  all  the  de- 
partments of  the  church  were  greatly  strengthened. 
In  the  fall  of  '82  his  wife's  health  induced  him  to 
resign  and  seek  for  her  a  milder  climate.  After 
ample  provision  for  her  in  the  home  of  a  dear 
friend  in  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  he  took  charge  of  the 
church  at  G-reencastle,  Ind.  After  fifteen  months' 
work  here,  during  which  the  church  prospered,  he 
returned  to  Illinois,  locating  at  Pittsfield.  He 
staid  here  a  little  less  than  two  years,  and  in 
January,  1886,  he  yielded  to  the  call  of  the  church 
in  Eureka,  where  he  labored  during  the  following 
eight  years.  This  last  pastorate  he  regards  as  the 
most  fruitful  that  he  has  yet  had,  although  his 
work  has  been  uniformly  successful  and  prosper- 
ous. He  regarded  the  field  in  Eureka  peculiar- 
ly favorable.  Its  removal  from  the  temptations 
of  city  life,  the  intelligence  of  its  citizens,  drawn 
together  by  Eureka's  rare  educational  facilities, 
the  large  company  of  young  people  gathered  from 
our  best  homes,  a  willingness  to  work  on  the  part 
of  the  people,  an  active  and  wise  official  board, 
and  good  evangelistic  help,  he  regards  as  chief  ele- 
ments in  the  church's  prosperity.  During  the 
eight  years  there  were  about  one  hundred  per- 
sons all  the  time  on  regular  standing  commit- 


304  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

tees ;  the  Christian  Association,  the  Bible  Work- 
ers, the  Senior  and  Junior  Christian  Endeavor 
Societies  were  formed;  the  two  Auxiliary  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  the  Mission  Band  and  the  La- 
dies' Aid  did  their  best  work ;  the  Sunday-school 
greatly  increased  and  about  1,035  persons  were 
added  to  the  church.  January  1st,  '94,  he  resigned 
in  Eureka  to  take  up  the  work  in  Buffalo,  IS". 
Y.  Besides  his  regular  pastoral  and  pulpit  du- 
ties he  found  time  to  foster  many  public  enter- 
prises, beyond  the  borders  of  the  church,  to  which 
his  brethren  called  him.  He  was  active  in  the 
Woodford  County  Christian  Co-operation,  serving 
as  its  chairman,  and  one  of  the  prime  movers  in 
organizing  the  Mntli  Congressional  District  for 
missionary  work,  and  in  merging  into  it  the 
county  work. 

He  was  president  of  the  State  missionary  con- 
vention in  '85,  arid  has  served  as  one  of  its  board 
about  seven  years.  In  the  board  he  was  regu- 
lar at  its  meetings,  and  has  served  about  four 
years  on  the  Permanent  Fund  Committee,  and 
seven  years  on  its  Students'  Aid  Committee. 
Since  the  organization  of  the  Illinois  Christian 
Encampment  Association,  he  has  been  on  its 
board,  several  times  president,  and  always  active 
in  the  preparation  of  its  extensive  program.  He 
was  one  of  the  originators  of  the  Bible  Students' 
Aid  Fund,  one  of  its  most  liberal  contributors, 


MISCELLANEOUS.  305 

and  he  solicited   in  cash  and  pledges  for  its  use 
more  than  $6,000. 

He  served  on  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Eureka 
College  about  six  years.  He  has  ever  been  one  of 
its  warmest  friends,  and  is  now  president  of  its 
Alumni  Association.  To  build  and  equip  the  Bur- 
gess Memorial  Hall,  he  spent  several  weeks  in  the 
field,  securing  in  cash  and  pledges  about  $9,000. 
He  was  a  true  brother  to  every  professor  and  a 
warm  friend  of  all  the  students. 

He  is  a  life  director  of  the  General  Christian 
Missionary  Convention,  attends  the  annual  meetings 
of  the  board  and  the  convention,  frequently  serves 
on  important  committees,  and  for  two  years  has 
been  vice  president  of  the  convention.  He  is  a  life 
member  of  the  Foreign  Christian  Missionary  Socie- 
ty, and  takes  great  interest  in  its  work. 

He  has  served  several  years  on  the  State  Sunday- 
school  Board,  and  acted  as  president  at  some  of  its 
conventions.  He  has  been  the  leading  spirit  in  in- 
augurating and  carrying  forward  Christian  Normal 
Sunday-school  Studies  for  teachers  and  Bible  stu- 
dents among  the  Disciples. 

He  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  our  religious 
journals  and  to  local  papers.  He  has  written  sev- 
eral tracts;  "What  Must  I  do  to  be  Save  !?"  and 
UA  Plea  for  the  Soul"  having  the  largest  circula- 
tion. 

As  a  preacher  Bro.  Waggoner  is  clear,  careful. 
20 


306  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

earnest  and  practical.  Every  sermon  seems  to  in- 
spire to  better  living  or  a  clearer  conception  of  the 
truth.  His  sermons  are  fresh  without  being  sen- 
sational. He  has  held  several  very  successful 
meetings,  but  has  not  worked  much  as  an  evangel- 
ist, his  efforts  being  rather  to  keep  the  church  for 
which  he  labors  so  full  of  life  and  warmth  that  the 
Lord  may  add  to  it  daily  the  saved.  In  this  he 
succeeds. 

As  a  pastor  he  is  regarded  a  model.  His  unusu- 
al freedom  from  favoritism,  his  large  sympathy 
for  the  poor  and  afflicted,  his  knowledge  of  the 
temptations  of  the  rich,  his  high  appreciation  of 
talent  and  his  patience  with  ignorance,  make  him 
at  once  the  trusted  companion  of  all  classes  and 
ages.  He  spends  much  time  among  his  people, 
not  as  a  mere  visitor,  but  as  a  true  friend  and 
brother,  seeking  to  know,  comfort,  inspire  and  di- 
rect the  spiritual  life  of  all  for  the  glory  of  the 
Lord. 

Bro.  Waggoner  attributes  his  success  and  use- 
fulness, whatever  they  are,  to  a  happy  combina- 
tion of  circumstances  and  influences  far  beyond 
his  own  ordering.  The  piety,  industry  and 
faith  instilled  in  his  childhood,  in  the  home 
where  the  Lord  cast  his  lot,  lie  at  the  foun- 
dation. He  feels  that  he  has  always  had 
the  prayers  of  the  church,  and  tries  to  live  in 
close^fellowship  with  the  Father  who  has  so  mys- 


1    A.  S.  Hayden.  3    W.  H.  Cannon. 

2    J.  G.  Waggoner. 


MISCELLANE  0  US.  307 

teriously  guarded,  preserved  and  directed  his  life. 
The  counsel  of  his  brethren  of  experience  and  wis- 
dom has  been  always  most  welcome  and  fruitful 
of  good.  For  help  and  guidance  in  everything  he 
looks  to  the  Lord,  believing  that  to  be  strong  in 
the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his  might  is  the  best 
of  all  strength. 


WILLIAM  H.  CANNON. 

W.  H.  Cannon  is  of  German  and  Irish  ances- 
try, and  was  born  near  Pittsfield,  111.,  August 
1,  1862.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  the 
community  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  entered  Eureka  College,  where  he  com- 
pleted the  classical  course  in  June,  1884.  In 
1889  he  received  from  the  same  institution  the 
degree  of  A.  M.  He  attended  the  Bible  depart- 
ment of  Drake  University  for  a  little  while,  but 
lacked  one  year  of  graduation.  From  childhood 
he  has  had  a  desire  to  be  a  preacher,  and  his 
work  in  college  had  that  aim  constantly  in  view. 
December  31,  1882,  he  preached  his  first  sermon, 
and  was  ordained  by  the  church  at  Eureka  in 
June,  1884.  Immediately  after  leaving  college  he 
located  at  Sterling,  111.  Besides  Sterling  he  has 
had  pastorates  at  Illiopolis,  Lincoln,  Lexington, 
and  now  ministers  to  the  church  at  Eureka. 

In  addition  to  his  regular  ministerial  work  he 
has  been  interested  in  Sunday-school  work,  and 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Executive  Board  of  the 
Illinois  Christian  S.  S.  Association  for  four  years, 
and  is  at  present  Corresponding  Secretary  and 

Treasurer  of  that  organization. 

(308) 


ELDER  H.  D.  PALMER. 

Henry  D.  Palmer  was  a  native  of  South  Caro- 
lina, but  early  in  life  removed  to  Tennessee.  He 
was  a  citizen  of  the  latter  State  at  the  time  of  the 
Louisiana  Purchase,  and  went  as  a  volunteer  to 
aid  in  the  ceremony  of  unfurling  the  national  flag 
at  New  Orleans. 

As  a  Christian  minister,  he  was  an  efficient 
worker  with  the  early  pioneers  of  the  reformation 
headed  by  Barton  W.  Stone  and  Alexander  Camp- 
bell. 

In  1816  he  removed  to  Illinois,  locating  near 
Vincennes,  where  he  renounced  all  affiliation  with 
American  slavery  by  a  formal  emancipation  of  all 
his  servants,  believing  the  institution  to  be  one 
of  violence,  unsupported  by  Christian  principles. 

About  1820  he  removed  to  Indiana,  and  was  a 
citizen  of  that  State  until  1835,  when  he  removed 
to  Illinois,  locating  in  that  portion  of  Putnam  now 
included  within  the  boundaries  of  Marshall  coun- 
ty. In  1847  he  represented  his  county  in  the  con- 
vention called  to  revise  the  constitution  of  the 
State. 

In  1849  he  was  nominated  as  one  of  the  original 

(309) 


310  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

trustees  of  Walnut  Grove  Academy,  but  declined 
to  accept  the  appointment  on  account  of  his  ad- 
vanced age. 

More  than  fifty  years  of  his  long  life  were  zeal- 
ously devoted  to  the  work  of  the  Christian  minis- 
try. At  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1849,  he  assisted  in 
organizing  the  first  General  Christian  Missionary 
Society.  In  1850  he  assisted  in  organizing  the  first 
Christian  Missionary  Society  of  Illinois,  and  was 
elected  the  first  president  of  that  body.  Many 
young  men  through  his  influence  were  induced  to 
enter  the  Christian  ministry.  About  1850  he  be- 
came acquainted  with  0.  A.  Burgess,  explained 
to  him  the  gospel  of  Christ  as  taught  by  the  pro- 
moters of  the  Current  Reformation,  received  his 
confession,  baptized  him,  induced  him  to  become 
a  Christian  preacher,  and  subsequently  to  enter 
Bethany  College.  He  died  during  the  first  year 
of  the  great  civil  war,  being  eighty-one  years  old, 
having  long  been  known  throughout  all  the  Chris- 
tian Churches  of  Illinois  as  "  Old  Father  Palmer." 


f 


MRS  .  O.  A.  BURGESS. 


MRS.  O.  A.  BURGESS. 

The  journey  of  life  was  begun  by  Nannie  J. 
Ledgerwood  on  a  farm  in  Marshall  county,  Illinois, 
near  the  town  of  Washburn.  Her  parents  were 
James  and  Polly  (Palmer)  Ledgerwood.  Her  na- 
tional descent  is  English-French,  with  a  trace  of 
Scotch  and  Dutch.  She  obeyed  the  Gospel  under 
the  preaching  of  Elder  John  Lindsey  in  August, 
1852,  and  immediately  after  went  to  Walnut  Grove 
and  became  a  member  of  the  church  there,  and  a 
student  of  the  Academy,  remaining  one  session,  till 
July,  1853.  Was  married  Oct.  17,  1854,  to  O  A. 
Burgess,  and  during  the  more  than  twenty- seven 
years  of  their  united  lives  she  was  his  ever- 
sought  and  safe  counselor  and  devoted  help-meet 
in  all  his  efforts  to  uplift  humanity. 

They  were  living  in  Indianapolis  when  the 
Christian  Woman's  Board  of  Missions  was  organ- 
ized, in  1874,  with  headquarters  in  that  city.  She 
was  chosen  its  treasurer  at  that  time,  and  has  been 
prominently  connected  with  that  work  ever  since. 
In  October,  1880,  she  was  elected  president  of  the 
Board,  but  removing  to  Chicago  the  following 

spring,  she  resigned  that  office. 

(311) 


312  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

After  the  death  of  her  husband,  in  1882,  she 
lived  with  her  parents  in  Forest,  Illinois,  several 
years.  In  August,  1884,  she  was  called  by  the 
Woman's  Board  of  Illinois  to  be  their  State  presi- 
dent, and  was  continued  in  that  position  till  her 
removal  to  Indianapolis,  in  December,  1888. 

She  was  chairman  of  a  deputation  sent  by  the 
Board  in  January,  1887,  to  visit  its  mission  on  the 
island  of  Jamaica,  to  inquire  into  its  condition 
and  needs,  and  to  report  on  all  phases  of  the  work 
there.  The  trip  occupied  about  three  months,  ten 
weeks  having  been  spent  on  that  luxuriant  "  Land 
of  Springs."  The  report  was  published  in  the 
July  number  of  the  Missionary  Tidiugs  of  that 
year. 

Shortly  after  her  return  to  Indianapolis,  in  1888, 
she  was  elected  vice-president  of  the  C.  W.  B.  M., 
and  in  October,  1890,  was  promoted  to  the  presi- 
dency, which  position  she  still  occupies. 

When  the  Christian  Woman's  Board  of  Missions 
was  invited  to  participate  in  the  Woman's  Auxil- 
iary Congress  held  in  connection  with  the  Colum- 
bian Exposition  at  Chicago,  May  15-22,  1893,  she 
was  unanimously  chosen  as  its  representative, 
and  by  request  of  the  Congress  Committee  gave  a 
concise  history  of  the  organization,  methods  and 
work  accomplished  by  the  association. 

She  is  the  founder  of  Burgess  Memorial  Hall. 
Her  noble  husband,  following  his  Master,  went 


MISCELLANEOUS.  313 

about  doing  good  while  he  lived.  When  called  to 
his  rest,  she  nobly  sought  to  build  a  monument  to 
his  memory  better  than  bronze,  more  enduring 
than  marble.  As  college  professor  and  president, 
also  as  minister  of  the  Gospel,  his  work  was  very 
largely  among  young  people,  leading  them  in 
wisdom's  way  and  inspiring  them  with  noblest 
purposes.  Therefore  it  seemed  fitting  that  the 
memorial  should  be  in  the  interest  of  education — 
a  continuance  of  his  life  work.  Arid  so,  after 
several  years  of  careful  consideration  as  to  where 
it  would  best  be  built,  counseling  from  time  to 
time  with  a  number  of  her  long-time,  tried  friends, 
Mrs.  Burgess  decided  to  make  her  offering  to  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  Eureka  College.  This  was 
accepted,  the  Board  agreeing  to  furnish  an  equal 
amount  for  the  building. 

Thus  we  have  Burgess  Memorial  Hall,  where 
O.  A.  Burgess,  being  dead,  yet  speaks,  by  the 
wise  action  of  his  devoted  Christian  wife.  May 
the  young  people  gathering  year  by  year  within 
its  walls  be  led  to  emulate  the  noble  life  and 
generous  deeds  of  Mrs.  Burgess. 


ALUMNI  REUNION. 

B.    J.    RADFORD. 

As  the  coolness  of  spring  mid  the  glories  of  June 

Still  lingers  to  temper  its  heat; 
As  the  song  of  the  morning  still  echoes  at  noon 

From  the  depths  of  some  shady  retreat; 
As  the  breath  of  a  garden  o'er  wearisome  ways 

Comes  wafted  full  many  a  mile; 
So  memory  fragrant  of  dear  olden  days, 
In  the  heart  of  our  noontide  still  fondly  delays, 

All  our  labor  and  care  to  beguile. 

What  an  Eden  indeed  was  our  garden  of  youth 

As  we  gathered  its  fair  trees  about, 
Plucking  flowers  of  fancy  and  apples  of  truth 

Till  destiny  hustled  us  out, 
Silly  Adams  and  Eves,  to  a  desolate  place 

Of  repentance  and  labor  and  pains, 
Where  we  must,  in  the  sweat  of  both  body  and  face, 
Root  up  brambles  and  thorns  if  we  e'er  get  a  place 

Upon  which  to  raise  apples  or  Cains. 

What  a  queer  brood  of  innocents  were  we,  indeed ! 

Not  abroad;  for  the  great  field  of  life, 
With  its  woodland  and  plain,  with  its  mountain  and  mead, 

With  its  seasons  of  peace  and  of  strife, 
Was  terra  incognita,  never  a  whit 

Like  the  one  which  our  fancy  portrayed, 
Where  all  was  romantic  and  happy  and  fit, 
Where  shadows  for  contrast  would  now  and  then  flit, 

But  the  sunshine  persistently  stayed. 
(314) 


MISCELLANEOUS.  315 

How  we  fed  on  the  knowledge  that  puffeth  men  up 

Till  our  sphere  became  painfully  small ; 
How  we  swigged  at  the  wine  in  philosophy's  cup 

Till  we  thought  we  had  swallowed  it  all ! 
Undigested  confections  of  Latin  and  Greek 

Swelled  us  out  to  an  alderman's  girth, 
And  we  smile  as  we  think  of  the  whimsical  freak 
Of  conceit,  that  in  us  a  most  marvelous  streak 

Of  good  luck  had  o'ertaken  the  earth. 

The  embryo  orator,  gloomy  and  grand, 

Incarnation  of  all  that  was  best 
In  Demosthenes,  Webster  and  Burke,  graced  our  band 

With  an  eloquence  never  suppressed ; 
For  he  tackled  each  theme  of  religion  or  state 

With  a  confidence  born  of — well,  yes ; . 
Of  a  large  inexparience,  plenty  of  prate, 
And  a  roving  phrenologist  rubbing  his  pate 

With  a  fondly  prophetic  caress. 

Where  now  are  those  tones  that  were  destined  to  fill 

With  their  thunders  the  capitol's  dome ; 
Whose  echoes  should  v^aken  a  virtuous  thrill 

From  the  palace  to  poverty's  home? 
O  sad  profanation  of  Mercury's  powers ! 

Even  now,  as  the  summer  winds  blow, 
With  the  rustling  of  corn  and  the  odor  of  flowers, 
They  bring  the  lost  tones  of  that  statesman  of  ours, — 

Stentorian  "Gee!"     "Haw!"     "Wo-ho!" 

Our  philosopher,  too;  you  remember  him  now, 

With  his  eye  upon  vacancy  fixed, 
And  a  skeptical  air  of  importance;  for  how 

With  his  genius  for  getting  things  mixed, — 
Always  looking  within  for  what  should  be  without, 

Finding  emptiness  reigning  supreme, — 
Could  he  fail  to  be  tangled  in  mazes  of  doubt 


316  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

As  to  God  or  his  wisdom,  and  loftily  scout 
Immortality's  hope  as  a  dream. 

Not  a  secret  of  all  of  her  intricate  plan 

Could  nature  conceal  from  his  gaze; 
He  could  trace  every  step  from  the  monad  to  man, 

And  his  hand  could  unerringly  blaze 
Through  eternity's  wilderness  every  road 

Evolution  had  taken  or  missed, 
And  forth  in  her  footsteps  he  eagerly  strode, 
Unearthing  of  fossils  and  facts  a  huge  load — 

For  philosophy's  mill  a  tough  grist. 

But  look  at  him  now,  after  labor-crowned  years 

Have  sobered  ambition's  wild  pace; 
No  affected  profundity  ever  appears 

In  the  lines  of  that  strong,  honest  face ; 
And  those  firmly-set  lips  never  more  repeat 

The  old  vaporing  language  of  doubt ; 
For  the  skeptical  pride  and  the  shallow  conceit — 
Twin  follies  with  mischief  forever  replete — 

Like  the  measles,  have  worked  themselves  out. 

And  there  was  our  scholar,  as  pale  as  a  ghost, 

And  as  pulseless,  and  sombre,  and  dread ; 
For  so  long  had  he  dwelt  with  the  shadowy  host 

Of  earth's  mighty  and  erudite  dead, 
That  every  blood-nurtured  passion  was  gone, 

Even  pedantry  famished  and  died, 
And  our  slow-creeping  bookworm  in  solitude  lone, 
By  some  vermifuge  law,  had  unconsciously  grown 

To  a  chrysalis,  withered  and  dried. 

But  a  time  of  reviving  the  seasons  brought  round:  - 
Some  rich  relative  died,  as  he  ought; 

O,  physiological  secrets  profound, 
What  a  metamorphosis  was  wrought! 


MISCELLANEOUS.  317 

By  the  magical  breath  of  that  life-giving  spring 

The  sealed  fountains  were  opened  again, 
And  out  of  that  shriveled,  unpromising  thing, 
Came  fashion's  gay  butterfly,  now  on  the  wing 

In  pleasure's  fair  summer  domain. 

Notwithstanding  some  poet  has  rhymingly  said 

That  along  toward  the  evening  of  life 
All  approaching  events  cast  their  shadows  ahead, 

'Tis  not  true  of  its  morning  of  strife ; 
For  our  limb  of  the  law  had  not  even  the  germ 

Of  that  greatness  to  which  he  has  grown ; 
But  having  served  out  his  collegiate  term, 

Seeking  bread  but  receiving  a  stone, 
When  the  father  complained  of  the  job  that  was  done 
In  the  polishing  off  of  his  favorite  son, 
The  faculty  pleaded  in  learning's  behalf, 
"We  cast  in  the  gold  and  there  came  out  this  calf." 

But  no  matter  just  now  who  at  first  was  to  blame; 
For  he  holds  a  first  mortgage  on  honor  and  fame; 
He  has  summoned  the  future,  replevined  the  past, 
And  if  cheated  of  honor  and  glory  at  last, 
Will  appeal  to  posterity's  court,  and  compel 
All  the  present  to  swear,  and  reluctantly  tell 
The  whole  truth,  that  for  calibre  never  before 
Had  history  known  such  a  wonderful  bore. 

Our  collegiate  blue-stocking  never,  'tis  plain, 

Could  have  sprung  from  terrestrial  mud; 
Some  etherial  essence  in  every  vein 

Took  the  place  of  our  sin-tainted  blood. 
She  would  breakfast  on  Bacon— Lord  Francis,  I  mean, — 

While  at  dinner-time  Lamb  was  her  food; 
She  could  sup  upon  Sunset's  evanishing  scene, 
When  a  Goldsmith  enthroned  her  romance's  fair  queen, 

With  a  crown  of  the  classical  Hood. 


318  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

But  her  heart  was  as  frigid  to  love's  gentle  ray, — 

If  indeed  such  a  thing  she  could  boast, — 
As  the  heart  of  a  polar-born  iceberg,  away 

In  midwinter  Labrador's  coast. 
Of  the  reprobate  gods  in  mythology's  list 

She  thought  Cupid  decidedly  worst ; 
While  men  were  a  sadly  inferior  grist, 
Who  would  scarcely  have  been  very  grievously  missed 

Had  they  never  been  made  from  the  first. 

Now  search  through  the  coveted  tablets  of  fame, 

Or  annals  of  commoner  kind  ; 
Not  a  lingering  trace  of  her  spinsterly  name 

In  the  polyglot  record  you'll  find. 
By  the  magical  "presto"  of  time's  hidden  art 

The  old  total  depravity's  gone  ; 
Sincerity  carries  lost  vanity's  part; 
Woman's  sphere  has  been  found  in  a  motherly  heart, - 

Love's  proudest  and  peacefulest  throne. 

Our  apprentice  at  high  theological  art, 

In  his  resolute  struggle  with  sin, 
Found  so  much  of  it  lodged  in  his  own  wayward  heart, 

That  it  kept  him  employed  within ; 
So  finding  no  time  ammunition  to  glean, 

Nor  cartridges  make  of  his  own, 

He  would  load  up  from  Spurgeon,  or  Beecher,  or  e'en 
Any  well-supplied  secular  truth  magazine, 

When  he  thought  it  would  never  be  known. 

But  the  arduous  labor  of  conning  by  rote, 

With  its  great  intellectual  strain, 
Kesulted  at  last  in  that  dread  sore  throat, 

Which  is  ever  the  clergyman's  bane. 
But  the  practical  point,  whether  physic  or  law, 

Should  receive  his  illustrious  aid, 
He  has  never  decided ;  for  if  he  should  draw 


MISCELLANEOUS.  319 

His  conclusion  in  favor  of  one,  he  foresaw 
That  the  glory  of  tother  must  fade. 

But  that  old-fashioned  fellow  who  worked  his  way  through, 

Who  mended,  and  stitched  and  kept  bach ; 
Whose  clothes  looked  as  if  they  had  never  been  new, 

And  his  head  like  a  weather-worn  thatch ; 
Who  made  his  own  speeches,  content  with  the  pay 

Which  duty  unfailingly  brings ; 
Respected  his  teachers,  and  studied  away ; 
Who  was  always  in  class,  and  was  guilty,  they  say, 

Of  a  great  many  other  odd  things. 

What  of  him?     Well  not  much,  I  am  bound  to  confess, 

In  the  eyes  of  the  sycophant  horde, 
Who  worship  the  man  in  another  man's  dress 

When  it's  better  than  they  can  afford ; 
But  he  makes  a  full  hand  in  the  vineyard  of  God, 

In  a  steady  and  every-day  gait ; 
And  pruning,  or  dressing,  or  turning  the  sod, 
Or  sent  forth  on  errands  of  mercy  to  plod, 

He  is  learning  to  labor  and  wait. 

But  for  Simon  Pure  greatness,  or  genuine  gush, 

Our  poet  could  discount  them  all. 
And  he  soared  aloft  in  his  young  fancy's  flush 

Till  the  world  seemed  contemptibly  small. 
He  affected  the  ways  of  the  learned  and  great, 

Eccentricities,  virtuous  or  vile*; 
A  Shakespearean  air  and  a  Byronish  gait; 
And  the  nursery  song  to  the  star  he'd  inflate 

In  hyper- Johnsonian  style : — 

Coruscate,  glow,  and  scintillate,  O,  Gem! 

Thou  macrocosmic  jewel  in  the  diadem 

Of  umbral-robed,  penumbral  polonaised  queen  Night! 

The  spectrum-painting,  ether-propagated  light, 

When  on  the  retina  it  thrills  my  optic  nerve, 


320  HISTOBY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE. 

As  in  thy  parabolic  or  elliptic  curve 

Thou  sailest  through  the  ultra-empyrean  deep, — 

Wakes  wide-eyed  wonder  from  her  Eip  Van  Winkle  sleep. 

"When  Phoebus  with  his  phosphorescent  photosphere 
Of  incandescent  hydrogen  doth  disappear, 
And  yield  his  high  chryselephantine  throne  to  fair  queen 

Night, 

Whilst  occidental  splendors  vanish  from  the  sight; 
When  haughty  exogens  with  inflorescence  crowned, 
And  humble  endogens  low-bending  to  the  ground, 
Receive  alike  the  sacrament  of  chrismal  dew, 
Whilst  pageants  of  nocturnal  glories  pass  in  view, 
Thy  luminiferous  vibrations  kindly  show 
Itinerant  pedestrians,  their  way  below." 

But  he  got  safely  off,  somewhat  limping  and  sore, 

From  a  fall  from  Parnassian  heights, 
And  nothing  could  ever  inveigle  him  more 

To  venture  such  dangerous  flights. 
He  has  harnessed  his  runaway  Pegasus  now 

To  a  cart  upon  life's  rugged  way, 
To  help  on  with  the  burdens  that  cruelly  bow 
Us  all  down  to  earth,  and  he  finds  that,  somehow 

It  is  better  than  fancy's  wild  play. 

Our  dandy,  who  doted  on  colors  and  clothes, 

Goes  clad  in  the  garments  of  toil, 
While  Rusticus,  grown  to  a  pedagogue,  loathes 

To  be  known  as  a  son  of  the  soil. 
Mr.  Scapegrace,  in  folly  so  hopelessly  lost, 

In  an  orthodox  deacon  is  found ; 

But  lament  for  our  Sanctus,  whose  conscience  was  tossed 
On  the  sea  of  conviction  with  foaming  waves  bossed, 

Till  finally  ship-wrecked  and  drowned. 

Time  disguises  us  all  for  the  strange  masquerades 
We  must  enter  as  life  falls  to  evening  shades; 


MISCELLANEOUS.  321 

Kaven  ringlets  and  tresses  are  turning  to  gray, 

"  The  silver  is  tinting  the  gold  ;" 
Earth's  beauty  and  loveliness  hasten  away, 
And  like  mortals  constructed  of  commonest  clay, 

We  are  all  growing  ugly  and  old. 

* 

But  the  prophecies  going  before  on  us  all, 

And  our  great  expectations,  were  vain 
As  the  mocking  mirages  that  temptingly  fall 

On  the  vision  o'er  wide  desert  plain  ; 
For  our  lives  are  as  full  of  fantastical  change 

As  the  ill-fated  scenes  of  a  dream, 

Till  we  waken  at  last  to  the  consciousness  strange 

That  none  of  us  are  what  we  seem  ; 
But  are  only  the  parts,  without  meaning  beside, 

Of  some  infinite,  wonderful  whole, 
As  we  mingle,  and  gleam  in  the  light,  and  divide, 
Till  we  fall  in  the  shadow  unheeded  to  hide, 

While  the  years  their  kaleidoscope  loll. 

But  sometime,  in  the  bounds  of  a  new  universe, 

From  this  fateful  duality  free, 
Which  compels  every  blessing  to  wed  with  a  curse; 

Where  wide  as  eternity's  sea, 
Love  is  gladly  divorced  from  the  termagant  hate, 

And  pleasure  from  wan-visaged  pain  ; 
Where  Vice  never  more  with  Virtue  shall  mate, 

May  we  mingle  our  colors  again, 
Born  of  Beauty,  the  glorious  bride  of  the  light, 
Of  a  day  that  shall  never  be  wedded  to  night. 
21 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH    OF    ABINGDON    COL. 
LEGE. 

P.  H.  Murphy  and  J.  C.  Reynolds  opened  a 
school  in  Abingdon,  111.,  on  the  first  Monday  in 
April,  1853.  They  called  it  Abingdon  Academy. 
Their  purpose  from  the  beginning  was  to  make 
a  first-class  college  of  it.  They  were  young  men, 
full  of  zeal  and  the  spirit  of  Bethany,  both  having 
sat  at  the  feet  of  Alexander  Campbell.  Their 
ambition  was  high  and  holy.  They  earnestly 
desired  to  do  a  large  thing  for  the  good  of  human- 
ity and  for  the  glory  of  God.  The  school  was 
conducted  in  the  Christian  Church,  a  plain  frame 
building,  until  it  was  chartered  and  organized  as 
Abingdon  College. 

The  school  grew  rapidly,  soon  crowding  the 
house  and  necessitating  a  third  teacher.  J.  P. 
Roach  was  engaged,  and  taught  for  some  time. 
He  was  a  good  man  and  very  popular. 

As  soon  as  possible  the  first  college  t building,  a 
plain  three-story  brick,  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
about  $10,000,  at  that  time  a  heavy  burden  for 
the  people  who  furnished  the  money. 

The  Faculty,  when  the   new   building   was   oc- 

(322) 


MISCELLANE  0  US.  223 

cupied,  consisted  of  P.  H.  Murphy,  President ; 
J.  C.  Reynolds,  Professor  of  Languages ;  J.  W. 
Butler,  Professor  of  Mathematics  ;  A.  B.  Murphy, 
Professor  Natural  Sciences. 

J.  W.  Butler  and  A.  B.  Murphy  were  also  young 
men  and  full  of  the  spirit  of  Bethany,  they 
too  having  been  brought  up  at  the  feet  of  Alexan- 
der Campbell. 

The  firs;:  graduates  of  Abingdon  College  were 
two  young  ladies,  Miss  Meron  Mahew  and  Miss 
Fannie  Davis.  They  were  good  students  and 
noble  young  women.  The  first  class  of  young 
men  receiving  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  were 
five  in  number:  Adoniram  Judson  Thomson, 
William  Decatur  Stewart,  Christopher  Columbus 
Button,  Francis  Marion  Button,  and  William  Grif- 
fin. There  were  both  brains  and  thorough  scholar- 
ship in  this  class  of  Christian  young  men.  A.  J. 
Thompson  is  an  eminent  teacher  and  a  fine  preach- 
er of  the  gospel.  W.  D.  Stewart  was  an  able  and 
eloquent  preacher.  He  died  of  consumption  be- 
fore reaching  the  meridian  of  life.  C.  C.  Button 
arid  F.  M.  Button  were  both  very  superior  teachers, 
but  both  fell  victims  to  that  fell  destroyer,  con- 
sumption, after  a  short,  brilliant  career.  William 
Griffin  is  both  preacher  and  teacher,  and  has  filled 
the  position  of  Superintendent  of  Schools  in  Han- 
cock county,  111.,  for  many  years.  A  college  that 
can  turn  out  such  a  class  as  that  deserves  a  better 


324  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

fate  than  that  which  overtook  Abingdon  in  after 
years. 

J.  C.  Reynolds  resigned  his  place  in  the  school 
in  1859,  having  given  six  full  years  of  the  very 
best  of  his  life  to  the  Institution,  A.  B.  Murphy 
having  retired  some  time  before  that.  Pres.  Mur- 
phy died  of  consumption  in  the  summer  of  1860. 
He  was  loved  and  honored  as  a  scholar,  a  teacher, 
an  eloquent  preacher,  and  a  high-toned  Christian 
gentleman. 

J.  W.  Butler  became  President  after  the  death 
of  P.  H.  Murphy.  Under  his  administration  the 
College  prospered  until  the  new  buildings,  much 
larger  and  far  more  costly  than  the  original  one, 
had  to  be  added  to  it,  and  were  fully  paid  for. 

J.  P.  Roach  died  recently  in  Iowa,  and  more  re- 
cently A.  B.  Murphy  died  in  Colorado.  Both  were 
worthy  Christian  men.  J.  W.  Butler  still  lives, 
and  with  his  son  is  engaged  in  the  banking  busi- 
ness in  Pall  River,  Kansas.  J.  C.  Reynolds  is  still 
living*  and  preaching  in  Callaway  county,  Mo. 

Of  the  Alumni  of  Abingdon  College  there  are 
several  worthy  of  special  mention,  whom  not  to 
mention  in  this  connection  would  be  wrong.  Geo. 
T.  Carpenter,  Chancellor  of  Drake  University,  Iowa, 
was  an  honored  son  of  Abingdon  College.  Death 
lately  claimed  him  also.  But  his  name  is  an  honor 
to  his  Alma  Mater.  James  Monroe  Martin,  many 
years  President  of  Hesperian  College,  California, 


MIS  CELLANE  0  US.  325 

is  an  honor  to  the  Institution  that  trained  him  for 
his  work.  So  also  is  Aaron  Prince  Aten,  teacher, 
preacher,  poet  and  Christian  gentleman.  Judge 
Durham,  George  E.  Dew,  J.  T.  Toof,  Samuel  P. 
Lucy,  J.  H.  Smart  and  J.  H.  Garrison  are  all  grad- 
uates of  Abingdon.  These  all  maintain  high 
character  for  piety,  learning,  ability  in  the  minis- 
try, in  literature,  and  in  all  that  makes  a  man 
useful  to  his  race. 

Journalism  also  finds  some  of  its  brightest  orna- 
ments among  the  Alumni  of  Abingdon  College. 
J.  H.  Garrison  occupies  the  highest  round  as  editor 
of  uThe  New  Christian  Quarterly,"  and  senior 
editor  of  "  The  Christian-Evangelist."  He  is  also 
the  author  of  several  excellent  and  popular  books. 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Smart,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Garrison,  Mrs.  J.  M. 
Martin,  Mrs.  Judge  Durham  and  other  worthy 
women  are  graduates  of  Abingdon  College.  And 
now  success  and  long  life  to  Eureka  College,  to 
whose  Alumni  they  now  belong ! 

J.  C.  REYNOLDS. 


ABINGDON   COLLEGE  AS  I  SAW  IT. 

I  am  asked  for  a  reminiscence  of  "Abingdon  Col- 
lege as  I  saw  it."  Am  I  becoming  old,  to  be  ask- 
ed to  pause  and  look  back  ?  Is  J.  H.  Garrison  an 
old-like  man  ?  Is  he  not  now  loving  and  courting 
Lizzie  Garrett?  Is  he  not  her  garrison  as  to  the 
other  boys  ?  Is  not  J.  H.  Smart  writing  letters  to 
her  sister  ?  Does  he  not  now  write  short  sentences 
and  take  the  serious  side  of  questions  ? 

Who  was  it  that  last  session,  wrote  that  essay 
on  "The  White  Wire  Clothes  Line?" 

Where  are  Jim  Dennis  and  Rob  Heller,  who, 
with  another  boy  that  loved  the  girls,  made  a  plot 
to  unite  the  Parthenian  and  the  Philomathian  so- 
cieties ? 

Who  does  not  rejoice  that  it  succeeded,  the  fac- 
ulty and  public  opinion  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing? 

Thought  continues  to  unfold.  Men  who  accord 
or  oppose  die.  Our  dear  Bro.  Capt.,  who  called 
another  to  the  chair  to  speak  against  that  union, 
has  gone.  I  do  not  know  where  some  of  the  others 

are,  but  the  principle  of  co-education    goes   on. 

(326) 


MIS  CELLANE  OUS.  327 

Only  yesterday  a  request  was  here  from  the  old, 
staid  University  of  Virginia,  for  arguments 
and  facts  which  look  toward  co- education.  Are 
the  last  strongholds  of  Protestant  monkism  be- 
ginning to  prophesy  ? 

Abingdon  College  was  a  pioneer  in  this  blessed 
work  of  reform.  Hers  was  genuine  co-education,  so- 
cially, religiously  and  through  college  work.  It  was 
accepted  as  a  matter  of  course  in  all  affairs  of  the 
school  and  the  town.  Some  hurt  may  have  come 
from  it,  but  I  have  known  of  five  times  as  much 
injury  from  one  of  the  most  conservative  female 
schools  in  the  south. 

The  man  who  refuses  to  masticate  food  because 
he  may  bite  his  tongue  deserves  to  remain  lean  or 
starve.  So  of  the  institutions  afraid  of  co-educa- 
tion. 

I  am  glad  to  remember  Abingdon  College  on 
this  subject.  In  this  field  its  work  has  been  ex- 
cellent. It  did  not  hurt  Smart,  Carson,  Garrison, 
Ingels,  Lucy,  John  Moore  and  Dudly  Barber  to 
play  games,  recite  and  study  with  the  girls,  to 
walk  with  them  to  the  cemetery,  take  them  to  the 
lectures  and  the  concerts,  read  and  talk  with  them; 
it  was  an  educational  blessing. 

Did  Thompson,  Toof,  Griffeth  and  a  few  other 
"honest  fellows"  get  tangled  in  their  love  affairs  ? 
There  is  no  better  place  this  side  of  Heaven  to 


328  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

learn  to  untangle  social  warp,  or  unfasten  person- 
al kinks,  than  in  college  life. 

Yes,  that  September  day  in  1867  comes  back  to 
me.  The  old  building.  40x60,  three  stories  high, 
stood  alone.  As  the  assembly  bell  rang  out, 
blooming  and  bashful,  hopeful  and  manly  faces, 
many  strange  to  each  other,  but  all  seeking  some- 
thing each  did  not  have,  began  answering  its  sum- 
mons. How  new  it  all  was  to  me.  I  wandered 
through  the  day,  listening  to  some  explanations, 
talked  with  strangers  here  and  there,  went  to 
Mrs.  Crawford's  and  found  board,  to  the  college 
and  enrolled.  Paid  one  term's  tuition,  sixteen 
weeks,  $16,  and  $2  contingent  fee.  At  7  P.  M.  an- 
other bell  rang,  and  soon  we  were  assembling  in 
the  old  college  chapel.  The  song  was  sung.  Quiet 
came.  A  tall,  somewhat  slender,  straight  man, 
with  dark  skin,  black  eyes  and  well  shaped  fore- 
head, and  sleek,  combed  hair,  came  to  the  platform. 
That  was  President  Butler,  who  welcomed  us.  His 
talk  was  plain,  his  tone  was  flat,  his  manner  angu- 
lar, but  the  feeling  left  was  respectful. 

Then  came  a  man  of  slender  stature,  young,  but 
shoulders  drooped,  full  forehead,  dark  eyes,  black 
hair,  broad  mouth  with  a  natural  smile  and  a 
pleasant  voice.  His  manner  was  easy,  thoughts 
cheery,  and  we  all  felt  well.  That  was  Professor 
A.  J.  Thomson. 

Then  came   Professor  Judge   Durham.       Plain 


MISCELLANEOUS.  329 

goodness,  in  looks,  speech,  style,  and  college 
work.  It  is  true  that  afterwards,  in  primary  As- 
tronomy, first  period  afternoon,  he  did  not  always 
keep  ns  all  wide  awake,  but  it  did  us  good  to  love 
him. 

Then  Prof.  Lucy,  the  man  whom  we  afterwards 
found  studied  teaching  as  a  fine  art,  appeared  be- 
fore us.  He  was  interested  in  us  then,  there,  and 
always  afterward,  but,  though  his  love  was  real, 
he  never  could  get  wholly  away  from  the  man  in 
the  mirror.  In  the  home  to  which  he  has  gone  we 
can  all  indeed  be  brothers. 

But  here  is  Prof.  Linn,  brush-heap  head,  hairy 
face,  shaggy  eyebrows,  thick  lips  and  broad, 
smiling  mouth.  Of  course  he  told  a  joke.  He 
had  not  learned  the  modern  humorous  reference 
or  allusion  to  introduce  a  speaker.  Most  of  us 
were  like  him,  from  the  joking  class,  so  we  laugh- 
ed, and  when  he  told  his  experience  in  carrying 
his  possessions  on  his  back  as  he  came  to  Abing- 
don  College,  many  boys  of  that  class  felt  at  home, 
and  from  the  frank  earnestness  of  the  dear  man 
all  the  others  respected  him.  He  has  gone ;  we 
can  see  him  no  more  until  the  great  day.  I  do 
not  remember  certainly  the  old  students  who  fol- 
lowed in  the  short  speeches  to  welcome  us  green 
ones  to  this  reunion,  but  think  most  of  them 
were  from  that  large  class  of  1868. 

But  this  reunion  brings  us  to  another  interesting 


330  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

feature  of  "Abingdon  College  as  I  saw  it."  We 
were  introduced  ;  our  hands  were  cordially  grasp- 
ed ;  our  eyes  met  with  smiles ;  our  ears  heard  glad- 
ness and  welcome.  Our  hearts  felt  warmed ;  we 
were  loved — we  loved.  Thus  began  a  student's 
new  life  at  Abingdon  College. 

This  same  kindly  spirit  continued  in  class  and 
village,  in  literary  society  and  chapel.  It  had  a 
good  influence  on  students.  It  could  have  been 
more  finished,  more  intellectual,  if  more  of  the 
students  had  grown  to  the  higher  phases  before 
coming  there.  But  this  feature,  as  it  was  growing 
partly  out  of  co-education  and  partly  out  of  the 
influence  of  genial  spirits  in  the  early  history  of 
the  school  and  early  settlement  of  the  country, 
increased  by  the  manly  ingathering  just  after 
the  war,  made  a  social  life  which  was  anotlter 
educational  blessing. 

During  the  years  from  '67  to  '73  the  Faculty  as 
a  body  stood  before  us,  not  brilliant,  not  superior 
in  natural  force,  but  as  plain,  honest  workmen. 

There  was  some  lack  of  suggestiveness.  They 
sprang  but  few  general  questions,  they  started  too 
few  inquiries  and  did  not  sufficiently  awaken  the 
spirt  of  reading  and  individual  investigation. 

A  higher  appreciation  of  such  subjects  would 
have  much  preferred  a  $30,000  house  and  $10,000 
to  establish  and  aid  in  conducting  a  library  to  a 
$40,000  house  and  no  library. 


M1SCSLLANEO  US.  33 1 

Again,  as  I  saw  Abingdon  College,  neither  the 
teaching  nor  the  general  conduct  of  the  work  was 
vital  enough.  There  was  too  much  form  of  recita- 
tion and  not  enough  zest  in  hunting  thoughts  as 
pioneers  hunt  foxes. 

I  was  sometimes  thirsty  for  fresh,  clear  thought 
from  the  well-springs  of  the  teacher's  own  exper- 
ience and  original  sources  of  investigation. 

A  very  happy  feature  of  Abingdon  College, 
which  in  part  supplemented  this  want,  was  the 
LITERARY  SOCIETIES.  After  very  many  visits  and 
a  tolerably  wide  observation  and  inquiry  as  to  this 
kind  of  work,  for  the  facilities  afforded,  I  have 
never  known  more  cheerful  and  prompt  efforts. 
The  societies  were  open,  not  secret.  The  rivalry 
was  as  a  rule  healthy,  not  bitter.  Nearly  all  the 
members  would  take  part  weekly,  not  quarterly. 
There  was  a  general  expectation  that  each  one 
would,  and  a  fair  understanding  that  he  should, 
try  to  act  his  part  well.  There  was  a  union  of 
criticism  and  encouragement  rarely  excelled. 

Bronson's  old  Elocution  for  the  whole  school  the 
last  period  in  the  evening  of  each  day,  and  the 
literary  societies  on  Friday  night,  made  a  distinc- 
tive educational  blessing.  Many  hearts  will  thrill 
with  joy,  some  eyes  fill  with  tears,  as  those  scenes 
and  days  are  recalled. 

As  we  go  up  the  old  steps  and  reach  the  third 
floor,  I  see  the  small  man  of  quick  step,  the  taller 


332  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

one  of  grace,  the  stiff,  tall  man,  the  low,  stocky 
man  with  long  sandy  whiskers.  There  are  Ab 
Lovett  'and  John  Huston,  G-eorge  Brokaw  and 
George  Dew,  John  Hop  wood  and  Will  Garrison. 
There  is  Sam  Hungate,  the  artist,  returning  with 
his  present — a  portrait  of  Washington.  I  see  his 
pleased  face  and  hear  that  broken,  short  prayer 
the  last  night  we  ever  passed  together.  He  is 
dead.  My  first  thought  on  hearing  of  his  death 
was  of  that  last  prayer.  We  all  loved  him. 

There  are  the  two  gentle  but  self-reliant  women, 
Bachel  Rose  and  Mat  tie  Morris,  the  memory  of 
whose  patience  and  works  in  educating  themselves 
has  been  a  continued  blessing  to  others.  They 
have  left  us  to  unite  with  God's  Alumni.  The 
memory  of  their  lives  will  make  others  willing  to 
follow  on.  Now  from  this  third  floor  the  two  hall 
doors  open,  Newtoriia  on  the  south,  Philomathian 
on  the  north.  The  assembling  ones  divide,  while 
others,  T.  H.  Good- night,  Tom  Odenweller,  Emma 
Crawford,  John  McClure,  Ella  Mozier,  Bell  Price 
and  a  host  more  come  on  until  with  members  and 
visitors  the  rooms  are  well  filled,  and  the  evening 
work  begins.  Each  meeting  left  its  impress  for 
life  and  eternity. 

To  me  the  most  important  feature  of  the  school 
was  the  Religion.  I  came  to  Abingdon  College  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The 
spirit  of  religion  with  students  and  teachers  was 


REMINISCENCES.  333 

not  officious.  The  young  man  was  left  to  look  on 
and  hear.  Sometimes  I  would  go  up  to  Heading 
College  and  hear  Methodist  brethren  preach. 
When  the  debate  between  President  Butler  and 
Rev.  Smith  in  Abingdon  College  chapel  came  off 
I  took  pretty  full  notes  of  part  of  it.  So  the 
growth  went  on  until  Bro.  Franklin  held  the  great 
meeting,  March,  1869.  No  one  could  have  met  my 
case  better  than  he.  He  was  plain,  honest  and 
strong.  He  was  manly,  and  appealed  to  the  law 
and  the  testimony  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make 
all  feel  that  exactly  the  right  thing  to  do  was  to 
accept  its  evidence. 

There  was  no  fawning  about  the  matter,  that  we 
could  take  the  Word  of  God  if  we  liked  it  better 
than  what  we  had;  but,  here  is  truth,  there  is 
tradition;  here  is  liberty,  there  is  bondage;  obe- 
dience brings  life,  refusal  is  death. 

It  had  been  for  years  that  as  I  read  the  Bible  it 
seemed  immersion  was  required.  I  would  then  go 
to  the  preacher,  or  read  Watts  or  Clark  or  espe- 
cially Rice,  and  be  re-established. 

Then  Bible  reading  would  break  the  rest,  and 
the  contest  would  be  gone  over  again.  But  the 
night  Dr.  Yonkin  walked  with  me  into  that  old 
chapel  baptistry  settled  the  question  of  baptism. 

The  religious  training  at  Abingdon  was  not  so 
well  done  as  many  churches  and  schools  have 
since  learned  to  do.  It  did  not  take  hold  of  the 


334  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

young  people  to  make  them  active  workers,  but 
President  Butler's  morning  lectures  called  atten- 
tion to  the  Bible,  gave  outlines  for  study,  and  were 
without  question  of  much  value  to  students,  espe- 
cially for  the  first  two  or  three  years  of  college 
life.  They  furnished  a  religious  frame- work. 
They  gave  a  religious  tone  to  the  school. 

In  conclusion,  this  reminiscence  has  carried  me 
back  to  the  old  chapel  of  '67,  with  its  two  rows  of 
wooden  columns,  with  its  south  end  platform  pul- 
pit, on  which  President  Butler  stands  giving  the 
morning  Bible  lecture  ;  it  leads  us  to  the  second 
story  recitation-rooms,  where  Durham  and  Linn 
and  Lucy  meet  us  to  honestly  act  their  parts.  It 
leads  us  to  face  Professor  Thomson  in  the  north- 
west corner  on  the  third  floor,  to  inflect  amo  while 
boys  and  girls  reflect  to  each  other  amabo  and  ames. 
It  has  brought  us  to  the  public  entertainments,  even 
to  when  M.  Ingles  played  "Black  Eyed  Susan"  and 
repeated  it  the  next  week;  back  to  the  spring-time 
of  1868  when  a  declaimer,  an  essayist,  and  orator 
and  a  debater  were  chosen  from  each  of  the  two 
societies  for  that  notable  battle  of  the  senior  giants 
to  come  off  commencement  week.  It  brings  us  to 
the  union  of  winter  and  spring,  1869,  and  we  hear 
Bro.  Franklin,  with  his  full  voice  and  strong  argu- 
ments, followed  by  the  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  good  confessions. 

Years    pass.     I  am   in  other    halls    and    other 


MIS  CELLANE  0  US.  335 

places,  and  return  to  Abingdon  in  1872,  to  find  the 
new  and  the  changed,  the  larger,  and,  in  some 
ways,  better  affairs.  The  gentle  Aten  is  here.  The 
manly,  strong  Linn  has  gone  hence. 

We  are  going  to  Galesburg  to  hear  John  B. 
Gough.  We  are  going,  again,  to  the  inter-colle- 
giate contest  between  representatives  of  Monmouth, 
Lombard,  Knox  and  Abingdon  Colleges. 

Spring  is  coming.  Love  and  flowers  are  about 
us ;  commencement  is  here.  Seven  classics  and 
fifteen  of  the  other  courses  are  accounted  ready  for 
the  rostrum.  June  3rd,  1873,  we  said  our  pieces 
and  bowed  ourselves  out  of  college  into  the  work- 
ing world.  And  now  I  am  told  that  we  are  Eure- 
kans,  that  we  have  found  a  new  mother,  that  we 
have  lost  none,  but  found  many  noble  brothers  and 
sisters. 

So  let  wisdom  go  on  with  love  and  the  spirit  of 
united  work,  until  all  our  race  have  been  freed 
from  the  hand  of  strange  children,  and  until,  as 
President  Bacculaureate  in  1873,  said,  "Our  sons 
have  become  as  plants  grown  up  in  their  youth, 
our  daughters  as  corner-stones,  polished  after  the 
similitude  of  a  palace,  and  we  are  all  a  happy  peo- 
ple, whose  God  is  the  Lord  ? 

J.  HOPWOOD. 

Milligan,  Tenn. 


RECOLLECTIONS  OP  ABINGDON  COLLEGE. 

Abingdon  College  ?  Yes,  the  very  name  recalls 
many  tender  memories  of  the  past,  and  "may  my 
right  hand  forget  its  cunning,  and  my  tongue 
cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth,"  if  I  forget  thee, 
O  Abingdon ! 

It  was  in  May,  in  the  eventful  year  of  1865,  when 
the  sulphurous  war-cloud  was  rolling  away,  and 
the  last  sullen  roar  of  cannon  and  musketry  was 
dying  in  faint  echoes  in  the  far  Southland,  that  I 
received  my  first  furlough  from  the  army,  during 
a  service  of  four  years,  and,  taking  passage  on  a 
Mississippi  River  steamer,  came  up  the  Father  of 
Waters  to  Quincy,  111.,  and  thence,  after  a  few 
hours'  ride  by  rail,  I  landed  in  the  town  of  Abing- 
don. I  came  unannounced  and  unexpected.  I  had 
come  to  visit  two  of  my  sisters,  whom  I  had  sent 
there  to  attend  the  college.  I  can  recall  yet  some 
of  the  strange  emotions  which  I  felt  as  I  stepped 
upon  the  platform,  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land, 
among  civilians,  clad  in  the  uniform  of  an  officer 

of  the  United  States  Army.     The  experience  was 

(336) 


MISCELLANE  0  US.  337 

new  to  me,  and  I  noted  with  surprise  that  there 
were  then  those,  in  the  great  and  patriotic  State 
of  Illinois,  who  regarded  me  with  a  suspicious  look 
because  of  my  uniform,  and  because  of  the  black 
crape  around  my  right  arm,  worn  by  order  of 
the  War  Department  in  honor  of  the  martyred 
President. 

My  visit  was  a  short  one.  Seeing  from  the 
papers  orders  concerning  the  movements  of  the 
army,  I  returned  to  my  post  before  the  expiration 
of  my  furlough.  But  when,  in  the  following 
August,  our  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  service 
in  St.  Louis,  I  again  visited  Abingdon,  this  time 
in  company  with  a  brother.  We  went  by  way  of 
Springfield,  111.,  visited  the  home  and  grave  of 
Lincoln,  for  whom  the  nation  was  mourning,  and 
thence,  by  way  of  Peoria  and  Galesburg,  to  the 
little  town  which  was  destined  to  play  so  impor- 
tant a  part  in  my  life. 

It  was  vacation,  on  our  arrival,  and,  of  course 
most  of  the  students  were  away,  and  the  little 
town  at  first  wore  a  very  dull,  uninviting  aspect 
to  one  who  had  just  arrived  from  the  exciting 
scenes  of  the  war.  I  had  been  there  but  a  few 
weeks,  however,  when  I  decided  to  remain  and 
take  a  course  in  the  college.  I  had  not  gone  there 
with  my  mind  made  up  to  pursue  that  course, 
but  there  was  something  in  the  social  atmosphere 
of  the  place,  in  the  friendliness  of  the  people,  and 


338  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

in  the  character  of  the  few  teachers  and  students 
I  met,  that  caused  me  to  make  this  decision. 
Whether  it  was  wise  or  unwise,  I  have  never  yet 
had  occasion  to  regret  it. 

The  chain  of  events  that  brought  me  to  Abing- 
don  College  affords  a  good  illustration  of  how 
our  lives  are  often  moulded  by  apparently  trivial 
circumstances.  Having  been  wounded  in  the 
battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  in  March,  1862,  I  was  sent 
to  Springfield,  Mo.,  for  medical  treatment.  While 
there  I  was  brought  in  contact  with  a  young  man 
who  was  a  soldier  in  an  Illinois  regiment,  and  we 
became  intimate  friends.  On  inquiry  of  him  for 
a  suitable  school  somewhere  north  beyond  the 
range  of  musket  and  cannon,  to  which  I  could 
send  my  two  sisters,  he  recommended  Abingdon 
College,  having  himself  been  a  student  there. 
Thither  they  were  sent,  thither  I  went  to  visit 
them,  and  then,  to  become  a  student ;  and  there 
I  was  caught  in  the  current  of  a  religious  re- 
form from  which  I  have  never  made  the  slight- 
est effort  to  escape !  How  much  that  minnie 
ball  had  to  do  in  changing  my  whole  course 
of  life,  I  dare  not  say;  but  it  is  reasonably 
certain  that  had  my  friend  in  gray  aimed  his 
musket  a  little  differently  my  aim  in  life  would 
have  been  different  also. 

There  was  nothing  in  the  location  of  Abingdon 
nor  in  the  town  itself,  to  make  it  especially  at- 


MISCELLANEOUS.  339 

tractive.  It  is  like  a  hundred  other  Illinois  towns, 
made  up  of  frame  cottages,  built  on  a  flat  sur- 
face of  black  soil,  with  board  sidewalks  and 
surrounded  by  a  rich  farming  country.  It  was 
simply  the  fact  that  there  was  a  college  there, 
where  young  men  and  women  had  assembled  to 
train  their  minds  and  hearts  for  life's  duties,  that 
made  it  a  place  of  interest.  There  was,  too,  an 
air  of  sociability,  good  will  and  fraternity  in 
the  community,  which,  during  the  three  years 
from  1865  to  1868  that  I  remained  there,  were 
the  characteristic  features  of  Abingdon  life. 
The  college  was  a  family.  The  President  was 
its  head,  the  professors  were  its  elder  brothers, 
and  the  rest  of  us  were  the  boys  and  girls — 
brothers  and  sisters  all.  There  was  no  class 
feeling,  no  high  nor  low,  no  social  distinctions. 
All  occupied  the  same  level,  religiously  and  so- 
cially. The  professors  were  not  very  learned  men^ 
it  is  true,  but  they  understood  fairly  well  the 
branches  they  taught,  and  had  ardent  love  for 
the  students,  and  seemed  personally  interested  in 
the  success  of  each  one  of  them.  This  is  a  large 
compensating  feature  in  Western  college  life. 
There  was,  as  I  remember,  during  my  stay  at 
Abingdon,  no  library,  no  apparatus  for  illus- 
trating the  various  sciences,  and  the  old  build- 
ing in  those  days  had  few  facilities  for  college 
work.  And  yet,  in  spite  of  all  these  drawbacks, 


340  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA    COLLEGE, 

I  look  back  to-day  across  the  intervening  years 
to  the  scenes  and  associations  of  Abingdon  Col- 
loge  with  the  tenderest  emotions.  The  friendship 
which  bound  teachers  and  students  together,  the 
contact  of  mind  with  mind  in  the  class-room  and 
in  our  literary  societies,  and  the  religious  quality 
which  dominated  all,  made  it  an  exceedingly 
healthful  and  stimulating  training-school  for 
young  men  and  women. 

The  years  I  spent  at  Abingdon  were  full  of  hard 
mental  toil,  relieved  by  few  outside  diversions.  I 
recall,  however,  a  day  now  and  then,  in  the  glad 
spring  time,  when  a  few  of  us  went  into  the  woods 
botanizing — some  boys,  some  girls,  about  an  equal 
number  of  each.  We  gathered  wild  flowers,  sang 
snatches  of  favorite  school  songs,  and  sometimes, 
it  must  be  confessed,  the  conversation  dropped  in- 
to low,  sweet  tones — and  botany  was  not  the  theme. 
And  then  again,  on  bright,  starry  nights,  the  as- 
tronomy class  went  out,  sometimes,  to  trace  the 
constellations  in  the  heavens.  The  boys  hardly 
ever  cared  to  go  alone,  the  girls  could  not,  and  we 
generally  went  together.  What  went  we  out  for 
to  see  ?  Not  the  stars  alone,  but  eyes  which  shone 
with  a  warmer  glow  than  far  away  Orion  and  Pleia- 
des and  Arcturus.  The  "morning  class"  with  its 
hearty  singing,  the  elocution  class,  "running  the 
gauntlet,"  the  exhibitions,  the  discussions  in  the 
literary  societies,  the  political  feeling  that  ran  high 


MISCELLANEOUS.  341 

when  young  patriots  on  each  side  panted  to  save 
the  country,  but  above  all,  commencement  day, 
with  crowded  chapel,  decorated  platform,  fair  girls 
in  white  muslin  dresses,  roses,  joyous  anthems  by 
the  chorus,  the  speeches  that  laid  bare  the  his- 
tory, condition  and  needs  of  the  world  in  general, 
and  the  American  Republic  in  particular,  the  vale- 
dictory, the  diplomas,  the  alumni  supper,  and  the 
farewells — how  it  all  comes  back  to  me,  especially 
the  commencement  of  '68.  O  the  tuneful  bells  of 
memory.  What  sweet  melodies  they  bring  to  us 
across  the  chasm  of  the  years. 

If  at  times  I  have  felt  a  momentary  regret  that 
the  years  spent  at  Abingdon  had  not  been  spent 
in  one  of  our  Eastern  colleges,  I  have  always  on 
reflection,  decided  that  I  would  not  exchange  what 
I  received  at  Abingdon  for  all  the  superior  advan- 
tages I  could  have  secured  elsewhere.  I  cannot 
forget  that  it  was  at  Abingdon  that  I  first  became 
acquainted  with  the  principles  and  aims  of  the 
Reformation,  to  which  I  at  once  gave  my  heart  and 
pledged  the  services  of  my  life.  This  change  in 
the  current  of  my  religious  life,  I  recognize  as  of 
more  value  than  the  knowledge  of  many  sciences. 
Nor  can  I  forget  that  it  was  among  the  daughters 
of  Abingdon  College  that  I  found  one  who  has 
been  the  partner  of  all  my  toils,  my  sorrows  and 
my  joys,  and  an  unceasing  inspiration  in  all  my 
work.  These  two  considerations,  if  there  were 


342  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

none  other,  would  always  make  Abingdon  College 
a  green  place  in  my  memory.  In  its  day  and  time 
it  wrought  a  good  work,  and  made  its  impression 
on  the  life  of  the  world,  even  though  in  an  hum- 
ble degree.  That  its  period  of  unity,  fraternity 
and  prosperity  was  succeeded  by  a  period  of 
division  and  strife  which  terminated  its  existence 
as  a  separate  institution,  is  a  matter  of  profound 
regret  to  all  of  us  who  cherished  the  memory  of 
its  better  days.  But  as  an  offset  to  this  regret 
we  have  reason  to  rejoice  that  its  life  and  his- 
tory have  been  blended  with  those  of  Eureka 
College,  whose  adopted  children  we  have  all  be- 
come. We  rejoice,  also,  in  this  unification  of  our 
educational  interests  in  Illinois,  and  in  the 
brightening  prospects  and  increasing  power  arid 
usefulness  of  our  new  Alma  Mater. 

Tears  for  the  Abingdon  College  that  was ; 
cheers  for  the  Eureka  College  that  is,  and  bless- 
ings on  the  heads  of  the  old  boys  and  girls  who 
gathered  in  the  halls  of  the  former,  more  than 
thirty  years  ago. 

J.  H.  GARRISON. 


THE  COLLEGE  BELL. 

A.  S.  FISHER. 

The  loyal  graduate  who  went  forth  from  his  Alma  Mater,  dur- 
ing the  early  sessions  of  our  beloved  college,  returns  to  the  old 
campus,  laden  with  laurels  from  the  field  of  adventure,  and,  re- 
clining upon  the  green  sward,  beneath  the  cooling  shade  of  a 
favorite  old  tree,  hears  once  more  the  College  Bell. 

THAT  Grand  Old  Bell  suspended  there, 
Transmitting  calls  on  waves  of  air, 
For  many  years,  in  "  Long  ago," 
We  honored,  as  it  bade  us  go 
To  Chapel  -hour,  for  prayer  and  praise, 
Through  all  along  our  college  days, 
By  sending  forth  its  rumbling  call, 
For  teachers  and  for  students  all. 

How  joyful  were  those  days,  now  gone, 
And  floating  with  the  current  down — 
A-down  that  stream  without  an  end, 
That  parallels  eternal  trend — 
Those  joyful,  buoyant,  college  days, 
Made  pleasant  by  the  classic  ways 
Of  patient  teachers,  while  they  sought 
To  guide  us  in  the  ways  of  thought ; 
To  lead  us  forth  in  Wisdom's  realm, 
To  give  us  compass,  chart  and  helm — 
And  thus  equipped,  to  cheer  us  on 
Toward  the  distant  far  beyond. 

That  Grand  Old  Bell— it  did  us  good, 
To  hear  its  rumblings  through  the  wood. 
(343) 


344  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

And  now  we  stand,  as  days  of  yore, 
To  hear  it  sounding  out  once  more. 

Of  college  times  and  youthful  ways, 
And  of  those  solemn  morning  lays, 
There's  nought  can  say  so  much  and  well 
To  cheer  us  up  as  that  Old  Bell. 

Then  pull  the  rope  and  turn  it  o'er, 
And  let  it  rumble  as  before — 
Yes,  let  it  sound— we  love  it  well — 
The  rumblings  of  that  Grand  Old  Bell. 
Kansas  City,  Mo. 


TO  ALMA  MATER. 

B.    ,T.  RADFORD. 

0,  Alma  Mater,  well  beloved,  thou 
Hast  fealty  sworn  to  Beauty,  Love  and  Truth  ; 
Hast  laid  thy  hand  upon  the  three-fold  cord, 
Religion,  Science,  Art,  not  quickly  broke, 
To  do  thy  part  in  drawing  back  the  race 
From  death.     We  bid  thee  in  this  holiest  work 
God-speed,  and  pray  thee  to  thy  sacred  trust 
Be  true;  for  ever  as  each  child  shall  take 
Its  upward  way  to  that  sublimer  height, 
Where  God  meets  lofty  spirits  face  to  face, 
Another  star  shall  glisten  in  thy  crown. 

The  seeds  thou  sowest  shall  not  ripen  all 
In  time;  nor  should  thy  patient  husbandry 
Spend  all  its  strength  upon  the  transient  fruits 
That  ripe  and  rot  within  a  season's  round. 
To  teach  thy  children  how  to  see  and  name ; 
To  gather  meaning  from  an  ancient  tongue ; 
To  follow  nature's  vestiges  through  all 
Her  ancient  ways ;  or  give  them  power  against  the  foes 
Of  mortal  life,  and  set  them  in  the  way 
Of  earthly  gain,  is  but  the  meaner  part 
Of  alljthy  ministry.     All  earthly  light 
Must  darken  into  gloom,  and  every  star 
That  blazes  in"  the  firmament  of  time 
Must  set ;  but  teach  thy  children  how  to  shape 
Their  course  upon  the  stormy  sea  of  life 
By  that  pole-star  of  all  the  universe — 
The  Cynosure  of  God's  Incarnate  Truth. 
(345) 


PRESENT  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 

Term  expires  in  June,  1893—  Term  expires  in  June,  1896— 

W.  S.  ALLEN,  Eureka.  S.  A.  HOYT,  Forrest. 

J.  H.  BREEDEN,  Summum.  MRS.  W.  A.  DAVIDSON,  Eureka. 

J.  A.  McGuiRE,  Eureka.  Jo  MAJOR,  Eureka. 
ELMIRA  J.  DICKINSON,  Eureka.          A.  P.  COBB,  Springfield. 

Term  expires  in  June,  1894—  Term  expires  in  June,  1897— 

B.  S.  HESTER,  Belle  Plain.  MRS.  O.  A.  BURGESS,  Ind'p's,  Ind. 

M.  SWAN,  Bloomington.  L.  A.  KINNEAR,  Eureka. 

JOHN  DARST,  Eureka.  N.  S.  HAYNES,  Englewood. 

R.  D.  SMITH,  Eureka.  N.  B.  CRAWFORD,  Eureka. 

Term  expires  in  June,  1895—  Term  expiies  in  June,  1898— 

H.  C.  BAIRD,  Eureka.  G.  A.  MILLER,  Normal. 

W.  J.  FORD,  Chicago.  B.  F.  MAUPIN,  Eureka. 

J.  G.  WAGGONER,  Eureka.  .               THOS.  JURY,  Washburn. 

J.  P.  DARST,  Peoria.  PETER  WHITMER,  Bloomington. 


OFFICERS  OF  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES. 

JOHN  DARST,  President.  N.  B.  CRAWFORD,  Vice-President. 

R.  D.  SMITH,  Secretary.  GEO.  W.  DARST,  Treasurer  and  Bursar. 


COMMITTEES  OF  THE  BOARD. 
Executive. — 

JOHN  DARST,  Jo  MAJOR,  L.  A.  KINNEAR,  AND  N.  B.  CRAWFORD. 
Finance. — 

J.  P.  DARST,  S.  A.  HOYT,  J.  A.  McGuiRE,  N.  B.  CRAWFORD,  H.  C. 

BAIRD,  AND  P.  WHITMER. 
Faculty.— 

N.  B.  CRAWFORD,  Jo  MAJOR,  AND  J.  A.  McGuiRE. 
Library  and  Apparatus. — 

Miss  ELMIRA  J.  DICKINSON,  J.  A.  McGuiRE,  B.  F.  MAUPIN,  AND 

R.   E.   HlERONYMUS. 

Auditing.— 

H.  C.  BAIRD,  B.  F.  MAUPIN,  AND  L.  A.  KINNEAR. 
Prudential.— 

W.  S.  ALLEN,  J.  A.  McGuiRE,  AND  R.  D.  SMITH. 
(346) 


TEACHERS  OF  EUREKA  COLLEGE. 


The  following  is  an  alphabetical  list  of  all  the  teachers  era- 
ployed  by  Walnut  Grove  Academy  and  Eureka  College  from  the 
beginning  to  the  present  time.  The  dates  after  the  name  indi- 
cate the  years  in  which  they  taught.  One  single  date  indicates 
that  the  teacher  was  employed  only  one  year.  Two  dates  thus, 
1860-1870,  indicate  that  the  teacher  taught  from  1860  to  1870 
without  interruption.  The  teachers  whose  last  aate  is  1894  are 
still  teaching  in  the  College : 


Allen,  J.  M.,  1856-69  and  71 
Atwater,  J.  M.,  1891. 
Blair,  D.  M.,  1874-76. 
Bruner,  H.  L.,  1885-86. 
Bruner,  F.  M.,  1885-89. 
Burgess,  O.  A.,  1855. 
Callender,  Geo.,  1858-62. 
Chalmers,  James,  1887-89. 
Clark,  Mollie  G.,  1861. 
Conklin,  R.  E.,  1888-90  &  92 
Conover,  R.  A.,  1855. 
Coombs,  J.  V.,  1882-84. 
Deweese,  B.  C.,  1889-94. 
Dickinson,  E.  W-»  1876-78. 
Dickinson,  Elmira   J.,  1853 
and  1858-60,  and  1867-70 
Errett,  W.  S.,  1884. 
Everest,  H.  W.,  1863-71  &  77 
Ewing,  Jane,  1858. 
Fisher,  A.  S.,  1848-75  &  78-8( 
Fisher,  Sarah,  1853. 
Goodspeed,  Emma,  1885. 
Hay,  O.  P.,  1869-73. 
Herrick,  H.  N.,  1886-88  &  90 
Hieronymus,  R.  E.,  1889-94. 
Hittle,  Laura,  1863. 
Jackson,  W.  T.,  1891-93. 


-86.    Johann,  Carl,  1876-94. 

Johnson,  B.  W.,  1857-63  &  1866. 
Johnson,  R.  H.,  1860-63. 
Jones,  Annie  J.,  1891-94. 
Jones,  Sue  E.,  1850. 
Kirk,  James,  1876-84. 
Laupheare,  Sarah,  1860. 


-94 


-81 


94 


Lindsey,  John,  1850-52. 
Loos,  C.  L.,  1856-57. 


Meek,  S.  E.,  1886-* 
Miller,  G.  A.,  1888-93. 
Minassian,  H.  A.,  1888-93. 
Mitchell,  W.T.,  1888. 
Myers,  M.  Josephine,  1857. 
55,    Neville,  John  H.,  1852-57. 

Newcomb,    H.  O.,  1863-65  and 

1867-70. 

Pearre,  S.  E.,  1857. 
Radford,  B.  J.,  1869-80  &  1883-85 

&  1892-94. 

Robinson,  Harriet  A.,  1866. 
Rowell,  J.  H.,  1855-57  &  1860-64. 
Stickel,  Sina  A.,  1888-91. 
Thompson,  M.  J.,  1884. 
Vawter,  S.  D.,  1894. 
Weston,  A.  M.,  1869-76. 
Youngblood,  A.  J.,  1881-91. 
(347) 


348 


HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 


TEACHERS  OF  MUSIC. 


Allen,  Annie,  1889-90. 
Alvey,  Millie,  1889-94. 
Blitz,  E.  E.,  1882-84. 
Bruner,  Lettie,  1885. 
Buckley,  Mrs.  M.  E.,  1857. 
Depue,  John,  1883. 
Franklin,  Estelle,  1887-89. 
Gray,  John  R.,  1886. 
Hersey,  L.  E.,  1885-88. 
Hootman,-Mrs.  G.  W.,  1888. 
Johnson,  Belle,  1863-64  and  66. 
Johnson,  Mrs.  S.  S.,  1862. 
Lauder,  W.  W.,  1885-86. 


Mason,  Miss  O.  M.,  1865. 
Meek,  Miss  Julia,  1861. 
Meek,  Mrs.  S.  E.,  1887. 
Metcalf,J.W.,  1875-77  and  81-85. 
Miller,  Phene,  1867-69. 
Page,  Emma  J.,  1879-81. 
Plowe,   E.    H.,  1871-73  and  74. 
Plowe,  Harold,  1884. 
Smith,  Sue  S.,  1858-61. 
Taylor,  Ella  F.,  1878. 
True,  Miss  E.  F.,  1855-57. 
Vandervort,  Janie,  1889-93. 
Wright,  Eva,  1877. 


ART  DEPARTMENT. 

Bruner,  Lettie,  1884.  Holder,  Sarah  E.,  1880. 

Burrows,  May  I.,  1886.  Major,  Cora,  1889-91. 

Campbell,  0.  W.,  1876.  •  Minassian,  Jessie,  1891-93. 
Garrett,  Sarah  J.,  1881  and  84-    Naramore,  Mattie,  1894. 

86.  Patrick,  Latina,  1865. 

Hatch,  Clara  J.,  1882-84.  Yandervort,  Mina,  1887-89. 


COMMERCIAL,  DEPARTMENT. 


Allison,  J.  T.,  1894. 
Buzick,  F.  M.,  1891-93. 
Burnham,  F.  W.,  1891-94. 
Eggert,  Belle,  1891-94. 
Hager,  Carrie,  1890. 
Hootman,  G.  W.,  1887-94. 


Page,  O.  J.,  1891-93. 
Perry,  W.  S.,  1889-91. 
Reynolds,  G.  W.,  1876. 
Richmond,  N.  L.,  1882-87. 
Smalley,  R.  O.,  1891. 


NAMES    OF    THE    PRESIDENTS 

IN    THE    ORDER    IN    WHICH    THEY    SERVED. 


W.  M.  Brown,  1855-56. 
C.  L.  Loos,  1856-58. 
George  Callender,  1858-62. 
B.  W.  Johnson,  1862-63. 
H.  W.  Everest,  1863-71. 


A.  M.  Weston,  1871-75. 

B.  J.  Radford,  1875-77. 
H.  W.  Everest,  1877-81. 
J.  M.  Allen,  1881-87. 
Carl  Johann,  1887— 


THE  ALUMNI. 

The  star  (*)  indicates  that  the  parties  graduated  in  Abingdon 
College,  which  has  been  united  with  Eureka  College,  they  be- 
coming thereby  Alumni  of  the  latter  institution  of  learning. 

A.  M.,  means  Master  of  Arts. 

M.  A.,  means  Mistress  of  Arts. 

A.  B.,  means  Bachelor  of  Arts. 

B.  S.,  means  Bachelor  of  Science. 

M.  E.  L.,  means  Master  or  Mistress  of  English  Literature. 
B.  E.  L.,  means  Bachelor  of  English  Literature. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

President,  PROF.  B.  J.  RADFORD. 
Vice-President,  O.  W.  STEWART. 
Secretary,  Miss  CLARA  DAVIDSON. 
Treasurer,  PRES.  CARL  JOHANN. 
The  officers  are  also  the  Executive  Committee. 


1893. 

H.  B.  Boone,  A.  B.  Student  of  Medicine,  Chicago,  111. 
Zua  I.  Briggs,  B.  S.,  Music  Teacher,  Eureka,  111. 
Frank  Culp,  B.  S.,  Student  of  Medicine,  Chicago,  111. 
J.  P.  Lichtenberger,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Greenview,  111. 
C.  C.  Maxwell,  B.  S.,  Student  of  Law,  Lincoln,  111. 
J.  P.  McKnight,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Harristown,  111. 
W.  S.  Perry,  A.  B.,  Teacher,  Cornell,  111. 
F.  E.  Pope,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  DuQuoin,  111. 
J.  M.  Shepherd,  B.  S.,  Banker,  Lovington,  111. 
W.  W.  Sniff,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Watseka,  111. 
H.  W.  Wohlgemuth,  A.  M.,  Teacher,  Washington,  111. 

(349) 


350  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

1892. 

Mabel  Atwater,  B.  S.f  Prof.  Oskaloosa  College,  Oskaloosa,  Iowa. 
J.  W.  Carpenter,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Augusta,  111. 
J.  R.  Crank,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Iroquois,  111. 
L.  F.  Davis,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Ntinda,  111. 

W.  E.  Garrison,  A.  B.,  Student  in  Yale  Univ'sity,  New  Haven,  Ct. 
J.  C.  Hall,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Albion,  111. 
Charles  Hamilton,  B.  S.,  Medical  Student,  Chicago,  111. 
Edna  Hamilton,  A.  B.,  Teacher,  Harristown,  111. 
Horvard  Hamilton,  B.  S.,  Medical  Student,  Chicago,  111. 
Mary  S.  Hedrick,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  Taylorville,  111. 
Silas  Jones,  A.   B.,  Student  Harvard  University,   Cambridge, 
Mass. 

B.  B.  Melton,  A.  B.,  Teacher,  St.  Joseph,  111. 

R.  D.  Pope,  B.  S.,  Student  of  Medicine,  Washington,  D.  C. 

L.  Mabel  Riddle  (Carlock),  B.  S.,  Peoria,  111/. 

K.  C.  Ventress,  A.  B.,  Minister,  LaHarpe,  111, 

W.  H.  Waggoner,  Student  Yale  University,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

J.  C.  Watson,  A.B.,  Student  Harvard  Univ'ty,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

1891. 

Lizzie  Dickirson,  B.  S.,  Lawrenceville,  111. 
Ella  Ferry,  M.  A.,  Teacher,  Geneseo,  111. 
Annie  J.  Jones,  M.  A.,  Teacher  of  Elocution,  Eureka,  111. 
W.  T.  Brownlie,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Cherokee,  Iowa. 
L.  J.  Carlock,  A.  B.,  Attorney-at-Law,  Peoria,  111. 

C.  C.  Rowlison,  A.  B.,  Student  Harvard  Unv'ty,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
R.  D.  Smith,  Jr.,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Robinson,  111. 

1890. 

J.  M.  Allen,  Jr.,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Tollhouse,  Cal. 
J.  W.  Eichinger,  A.B.,  Teacher,  Decatur,  111. 
T.  W.  Mavity,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Onarga,  111. 
G.  A.  Miller,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Covington,  Ky. 
W.  M.  Roberts,  A.  B.,  Physician,  Macomb,"lll. 
O.  W.  Stewart,  A.  B.,  State  Evangelist,  Eureka,  111. 
Elvira  J.  Seass  (Stewart)  A.  B.,  Eureka,  111. 
R.  E.  Thomas,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Batavia,  111. 
L.  G.  Whitmer,  B.  S.,  Bank  Clerk,  Bloomington,  111. 

1889. 
W.    W.   Chalmers,   A.  M.,   Superintendent  of  Schools,   Grand 

Rapids,  Mich. 

Thomas  Chalmers,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Port  Huron,  Mich. 
Andrew  B.  Chalmers,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
E.  A.  Gilliland,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Lexington,  111. 
R.  E.  Hieronymus,  A.  M.,  Professor  English  Literature,  Eureka, 

111. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  351 

W.  T.  Jackson,  A.  M.,  Student  Harvard  University,  Cambridge, 

Mass. 

H.   A.  Minassian,    A.   M.,  M.  D.,  Physician,  Des  Moines,  la. 
Maude  McDonald,  M.  A.,  Teacher,  Arthur,  111. 
Mary  Musick  (Herrick),  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 
C.T.  Radford,  B.  S.,  Editor,  Eureka,  111. 
I.  S.  Whitmer,  B.  S.,  Bloomington,  111. 

1888. 

Amber,  Amsler,  M.  A.,  Bloomington,  111. 
T.  A.  Boyer,  A.  M  ,  Evangelist,  Eureka,  111. 
James  Chalmers,  Ph.  D.,  Professor  Ohio  State  University,  Co- 
lumbus, Ohio. 

C.  B.  Dabney,  A.M.,  Minister,  Mt.  Pulaski,  111. 
EffieGepford  (Pritchett),  M.  A.,  Niantic,  111. 
Minnie  Hobbs,  A.  M.,  Teacher,  Eureka,  111. 
Myra  Henderson,  M.  A.,  Virden,  111. 

T.  H.  Haney,  A.M.,  Principal  of  Schools,  Richland  Center,  Wis. 
N.  L.  Kiser,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Mechanicsburg,  111. 
W.  T.  Mitchell,  A.  M.,  Nebraska. 
Carrie  McClun,  A.  M.,  West  Liberty,  Iowa. 
Eva  McDonald,  M.  A.,  Teacher,  Arthur,  111. 
J.  T.  Ogle,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Cameron,  Mo. 
E.  A.  Riddle,  A.  M.,  Deceased. 
Nannie  Taylor,  M.  A.,  South  Omaha,  Neb. 
Marcie  Waughop,  M.  A.,  Teacher,  Eureka,  111. 

1887. 

May  E.  Edwards  (Wright),  M.  A.,  Denver,  Col. 

S.  A.  Ennefer,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Toulon,  111. 

J.  W.  Kern,  A,  M.,  Lawyer,  Watseka,  111. 

Fannie  Lampton  (Craver),  M.  A.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Lucy  Major,  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 

L.  C.  McPherson,  B.  S.,  Minister,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Mamie  H.  Richardson  (Thrapp),  M.  A.,  Gibson  City,  111. 

W.  G.  Smith,  B.  S.,  Minister,  State  Line,  Ind. 

J.  N.  Swartz,  A.  B.,  Lawyer,  Chicago,  111. 

H.  M.  Shafer,  M.  S.,  Teacher,  Lafayette,  111. 

R.  F.  Thrapp,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Gibson  City,  111. 

C.  R.  Vandervort,  A.  M.,  Principal  of  Schools,  Peoria,  111. 

1886. 

E.  V.  Aten,  A.  B.,  Editor,  Houston,  Texas. 
R.  E.  Conkjin,  A.  M.,  Professor  Natural  Sciences,  Eureka,  111. 
H.  N.  Herrick,  A.  M.,  Professor  Eureka  College,  Eureka,  111. 
L.  C.  Spooner,  A.  B.,  Lawyer,  Armourdale,  Kan. 


352  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

1885. 

George  E.  Goodin,  A.  B.,  Farmer,  Pittsfield,  111. 

Perry  B.  Hobbs,  A.  B.,  Editor,  Roanoke,  111. 

Penelope  B.  Hobbs,  M.  A.,  deceased. 

Harry  C.  Hawk,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Bloomington,  111. 

Rosa  A.  Rhodes,  (Btrd),  M.  A.,  Mechanicsburg,  111. 

S.  D.  Vawter,  B.  B.,  Professor  of  Mathematics,  Eureka,  111. 

Cora  Ma  jor,M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 

1884. 

W.  H.  Cannon,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Eureka,  111. 
W.  D.  Deweese,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Buffalo,  111. 
L.  D.  Hickman,  B.  S.,  Clerk  in  Music  Store,  Wichita,  Kan. 
Anna  McClure  (Banta),  M.  A.,  Eureka.  111. 
Clara  B.  Roberts  (Cannon),  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 
W.  E.  Shastid,  A.  B.,  Physician,  Wichita,  Kan. 

*  Frank  Bruner,  B.  E.  L.,  Physician,  El  Paso,  Tex. 
*Jessie  Bruner  (Minassian),  M.  E.  L.,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

*  Minnie  Younkin  (Hall),  M.  E.  L.,  Monmouth,  111. 
*H.  B.  Scheitlin,  B.  E.  L.,  Bank  Cashier,  Abingdon,  111. 

1883. 

Maggie  Baird  (Roberts),  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 
J.  Clarence  Lindsey,  A.  B.,  Physician,  Chicago,  111. 
Ola  Moore,  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 
Emma  Neal  (Walker),  M.  A.,  Springfield,  111. 
Ollie  Whitmer  (Wilson),  M.  A.,  Bloomington,  111. 
*Fannie  Bruner  (Jeffrey),  M.  E.  L.,  Terre  Haute,  Ind. 
*Anna  Givens  (Thomas),  M.  E.  L.,  Oklahoma. 
*Nettie  Gallaspie,  M.  E.  L.,  Beatrice,  Neb. 
*T.  F.  Weaver,  B.  E.  L.,  Minister,  Chatham,  111. 
*R.  E.  Conklin,  B.  E.  L.,  Professor,  Eureka,  111. 
*J.  Hopwood,  A.  M.,  Pres.  Mulligan  College,  Johnson  City,  Tenn. 
*J.  D.  Graham,  B.  S.,  Prof,  of  Telegraphy,  State  Agricultural  Col- 
lege, Manhattan,  Kan. 

1882. 

J.  D.  Dabney,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Hastings,  Neb. 
J.  F.  Ghormley,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Bozeman,  Mont. 
L.  E.  Hedrick,  A.  B.,  Teacher,  Chicago,  111. 
L.  C.  Hickman,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Wichita,  Kan/ 
W.  H.  Kern.  A.  B.,  Minister,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
J.  M.  Smoot,  A.  B.,  Attorney-at-Law,  Kingman,  Kan. 

1881. 

Millie  Brooks  (Smoot),  M.  A.,  Kingman,  Kan. 
John  C.  Eldridge,  A.  M.,  Gainsville,  Texas. 
Louis  C.  de  Guibert,  A.  B.,  Lawyer,  Sioux  City,  Iowa. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  353 

Ermine  L.  Huston  (Henry),  M.  A.,  Ouray,  Col. 
E.  Grace  Moss,  M.  A.,  Teacher,  Lebanon,  Mo. 
Geo.  W.  Ross,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Spokane,  Wash. 
Frank  G.  Willson,  A.  B.,  deceased. 
J.  Oscar  Willson,  A.  B.,  Banker,  Bloomington,  111. 

1880. 

John  D.  Allen,  A.  B.,  deceased. 
Anna  E.  Davidson,  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 
James  H.  Gilliland,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Bloomington,  111. 
Metta  Hart  (Barton),  M.  A.,  deceased. 
Minnie  Harlan  (Eyman),  M.  A.,  Galesburg,  111. 
Cora  L.  Lindsey  (Lander),  M.  A.,  Chicago,  111. 
Charity  E.  Munsell  (Davidson),  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 
Clay  C.  Price,  A.  B.,  Eureka,  111. 

Joseph  H.  Sutherland,  B.  S.,  Minister,  Monte  Vista,  Cal. 
Arabel  Trnmbo  (Megredy,)  M.  A.,  Laomi,  111. 
*W.  H.  Clark,  A.  B.,  Editor  of  the  Argus,  Abingdon,  111. 
*J.  M.  Morris,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Abingdon,  111. 
*J.  B.  Campbell,  A.  B.,  deceased. 

*H.  L.  Bruner,  A.  B.,  Prof,  in  Butler  University,  Irvington,  Ind. 
*  Lloyd  Kirkland,  B.  E.  L.,  Lawyer,  Chicago,  111. 
*W.  H.  Smith,  B.  E.  L. 
*Effie  Marshall,  M.  E.  L.,  Abingdon,  111. 

1879. 
B.  O.  Aylesworth,  A.  M.,  LL.  D.,  Pres.  Drake  University,  Des 

Moines,  la. 

John  D.  Clark,  A.  B.,  Editor  Enterprise,  Mackinaw,  111. 
E.  O.  Eyman,  A.  B.,  Banker,  Galesburg,  111. 
P.  A.  Fetter,  A.  B.,  Farmer.  Eureka,  111. 
Clay  Willcoxson,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  New  City,  111. 
*Lettie  Bruner  (Givens),  Des  Moines,  la. 
*Edgar  Hawes,  B.  E.  L.,  deceased. 

1878. 

Harvey  O.  Breeden,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Des  Moines,  la. 
Abner  P.  Cobb,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Springfield,  111. 
George  Carlock,  A.  M.,  deceased. 
DeWitt  C.  Pixley,  A.  B.,  Merchant,  Orange,  Cal. 
*C.  C.  Pierce,  B.  E.  L.,  Minister,  Kansas. 
*Henry  C.  Cox,  A.  M.,  Teacher,  Chicago,  111. 
*A.  G.  Lucas,  A.  M. 

1877. 

Sallie  M.  Carson,  M.  A.,  deceased. 
*D.  F.  Givens,  A.  B.,  Manufacturer,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 
23 


354  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

1876. 

Millard  F.  Anderson,  B.  S.,  Farmer,  Colfax,  111. 

Hiram  K.  Coleson,  A.  B.,  Editor,  De  Funiak  Springs,  Fla. 

Leora  Emerson  (Richardson),  M.  A.,  Denver,  Col. 

Eva  Howe  (Leeper),  M.  A.,  Virginia,  111. 

Orson  Q.  Oviatt,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Greenwood,  Ind. 

Lovell  B.  Pickerell,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Clinton,  111. 

W.  Frank  Richardson,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Denver,  Col. 

Belle  Sharp  (Van  Volkenburg),  M.  A.,  Livermore,  Cal. 

George  Shirley,  A.  B.,  Lawyer,  Chicago,  111. 

*H.  E.  Allen,  B.  S.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

*C.  S.  Nesbitt,  B.  S.,  County  Surveyor,  Chase  Co.,  Kansas. 

*J.  C.  Snyder,  B.  S.,  Farmer,  Constant,  Kan. 

*Sadie  B.  Harris,  Mrs.,  B.  S.,  Burlington,  Colo. 

*C.  H.  Craig,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*D.  V.  Hampton,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*Lou  Bailey,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  Bryant,  111. 

1875. 

Emma  Hodgson  (Pickerell),  M.  A.,  Clinton,  111. 

Charles  Sharp,  A.  B.,  Hanford,  Cal. 

*J.  H.Gilliland,  B.  S.,  Minister,  Bloomington,  111. 

*J.  S.  Huey,  A.  B.,  Lawyer,  Chicago,  111. 

*Myra  Patrick  (Huey),  A.  B.  Chicago,  111. 

Theda  Dodge,  (Gill),  B.  S.,  McPherson,  Kansas. 

*J.  B.  Ingels,  A.  B.,  Physician,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

*H.  Knappenberger,  B.  S.,  Physician,  Sciota,  111. 

*Minnie  Newcomer  (Townley),  B.  S.,  Macomb,  111. 

*Ella  Rice,  B.  S. 

*0.  Robbins,  B.  S.,  Principal  Business  College,  Sedalia,  Mo. 

1874. 

Lucinda  Carson  (Heiss),  M.  A.,  Oregon. 
Annabel  Clark  (Livingston  ,  M.  A.,  deceased. 
Arthur  A.  Leeper,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Virginia,  111. 
George  L.  Warlow,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Fresno,  Cal. 
*E.  C.  Bonham,  B.  S.,  deceased. 
*W.  D.  Williams,  B.  S.,  Banker,  Seguin,  Texas. 
*D.  S.  Harris,  B.  S.,  Banker,  Burlington,  Col. 

1873. 

Georgina  Callender  (Johann),  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 
Ainrnon  Coombs,  A.  B.,  Druggist,  Paxton,  111. 
J.  E.  Harris,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Talmage,  Neb. 
Janet  E.  Murray  (Darst),  M.  A.,  Wataga,  111. 
Charles  A.  Shirley,  B.  S.,  Minister,  Chicago,  111. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  355 

Geo.  R.  Shirley,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Chicago,  111. 

*D.  C.  Barber,  A.  M.,  Druggist,  Denver,  111. 

*J.  S.  Griffin,  A.  M.,  Adarasville,  Tenn. 

*J.  W.  Hopwood,  A.  M.,  Teacher,  Snowville,  Va. 

*M.  Ingels,  A.  M.,  Sunday-School  Evangelist,  Topeka,  Kan. 

*J.  W.  McClure,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Preston,  la. 

*Ada  By  ram  (Morris),  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*Carrie  Byrara,  B.  S.,  Abingdon,  111. 

*G.  W.  Oldfather,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  Knox  Co.,  111. 

*A.  A.  Gingrich,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Toulon,  111. 

*Mrs.  Libbie  Ingels,  B.  S.,  Topeka,  Kan. 

*Susie  Latimer  (Vandervoort),  B.  S.,  Shenandoah,  la. 

*Mollie  Scott  (Morris),  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*G.  L.  Brokaw,  A.M.,  Minister,  State  Evangelist,  Des  Moines,  la. 

*C.  W.  Dornback,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

*E.  B.  Dixon,  B.  S.  Baders,  111. 

*J.  W.  Moore,  B.  S.,  Mound  Station,  111. 

*J.  W.  F.  Scott,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*A.  H.  Turner,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Austin,  Kan. 

*W.  Taylor,  B.  S.,  Summit,  111. 

*C.  L.  Neall,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Rushville,  111. 

1872. 

M.  Leona  Boggs  (Dale),  M.  A.,  Delevan,  111. 

Charles  W.  Campbell,  A.  B.,  Topeka,  Kan. 

W.  H.  Crow,  A.  M.,  Lawyer,  Pittsfield,  111. 

Albert  W.  Carson,  B.  S.,  Physician,  Dover,  Kan. 

E.  J.  Hart,  A.  M.,  Minister,  New  Philadelphia,  Ohio. 

Edward  Litchfield,  B.  S.,  Banker,  Flanagan,  111. 

T.  L.  Trowbridge,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  Wymore,  Neb. 

J.  G.  Waggoner,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

J.  M.  Willard,  A.  B.,  Decatur,  111. 

*S.  B.  Campbell,  A.  B.,  Teacher,  Industry,  111. 

*C.  W.  Hardesty,  B.  S.,  Montana. 

1871. 

John  I.  Barnett,  A.  B.,  Teacher,  Hallville,  111. 
J.  K.  Breeden,  A.  M.,  Lawyer,  Tuiscola,  111. 
Clara  S.  Davidson,  M.  A.,  Eureka,  III. 
Joel  Dunn,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Bement,  111. 

Jas.  Kirk,  A.  M.,  Assistant  State  Superintendent  of  Public  In- 
struction, Springfield,  111. 
Charles  Wilson,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Peoria,  111. 
*Wm.  Adcock,  B.  S.,  Farmer,  Utah. 
*E.  Adcock,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Chicago,  111. 
*G.  W.  Armstrong,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
*J.  Boyd,  Agent,  Sedalia,  Mo. 


356  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

*W.  H.  Berry,  B.  S.,  Blaridinsville,  111. 

*S.  H.  Butler,  Banker,  Fall  River,  Kan. 

*Emma  Crawford  (Aten),  Owensboro,  Ky. 

*F.  M.  Gideon,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Kokorno,  Ind. 

*S.  C.  Hungate,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*G.  W.  Hustead,  B.  S.,  Fort  Madison,  Iowa. 

*J.  C.  Jackson,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  Iowa. 

*W.  H.  Kern,  B.  S.,  Minister,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

*W.  H.  Lovitt,  B.  S.,  Music  Teacher,  Blandinsville,  111. 

*T.  F.  Odenweller,  B.  S.,  Pastor,  Kellogg,  Iowa. 

*George  Sharp,  B.  S.,  Billings,  Mo. 

*Florence  Givens  (Hatchett),  B.  S.,  Abingdon,  111. 

*Nettie  Murray,  B.  S.,  Morning  Sun,  Ohio. 

*Anna  E.  Quinn  (Price),  B.  S.,  Toulon,  111. 

*E.  M.  Dew,  deceased. 

*Mary  Stockton,  B.  S.,  Augusta,  111. 

*J.  M.  Morris,  Minister,  Abingdon,  111. 

*T.  H.  Goodnight,  Minister,  Cameron,  111. 

1870. 

O.  P.  Hay,  A.  M.,  Ph.  D.,  Chicago  University,  Chicago,  111, 

EllaM.  Myers  (Huffman),  M.  A.,  Prescott,  111. 

Hattie  Orton  (Longfellow),  M.  A.,  Longmont,  Colo. 

*J.  II .  Bacon,  B.  S.,  Farmer,  Weaver,  Iowa. 

*J.  M.  Butler,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  Tennessee. 

*D.  C.  Chipman,  B.  S.,  State's  Attorney,  Minneapolis,  Kan 

*J.  B.  Shawgo,  B.  S.,  Physician,  Quincy,  111. 

Emerson  Wood,  B.  S.,  Napa,  Cal. 

1869. 

Cicero  Buchanan,  A.M.,  Lawyer,  Evansville,  Ind. 
W.  T.  Cussins,  A.  B.,  Lawyer,  Decatur,  111. 
E.  R.  Eldridge,  A.  M.,  Lawyer,  Chicago,  111. 
Geo.  W.  Sweeney,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Oakland,  Cal, 
*G.  E.  Dew,  A.  B.,  Pastor,  Albany,  Mo. 
*Emma  Veach  (Lomar),  M.  E.  L.,  Abingdon,  111. 
*0.  J.  Beam,  B.  S.,  Merchant,  Avon,  111. 
*J.  F.  Long,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*A.  B.  Price,  B.  S.,  College  Professor,  Canton,  Mo. 
M.  Ingels,  B.  S.,  Topeka,  Kan. 

1868. 

John  Bain,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Marysville,  Kansas. 
Minnie  I.  Callender,  M.  A.,  deceased. 
Emma  A.  Clark  (Crow),  M.  A.,  Pittsfield,  111. 
H.  U.  Dale,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Delevan,  111. 
S.  F.  Davidson,  Editor,  Chicago,  111. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  357 

Laura  F.   Fisher  (Gibson),  M.  A.,  Teacher  of  Music,    Kansas 

City,  Mo. 

W.  J.  Longfellow,  B.  S.,  Farmer,  Long m on t,  Colo. 
Maria  J.  McCorkle  (Poynter),  M.  A.,  Albion,  Neb. 
Edwin  Rogers,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Mankato,  Minn. 
Eliza  F.  Rodgers,  A.  B.,  deceased. 
*A.  D.  Butler,  A.  M.,  Farmer,  Napa,  Cal. 
*J.  W.  Carson,  A.  M.,  Wakeeney,  Kansas. 
*J.  H.  Garrison,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Editor  Christian-Evangelist, 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

*R.  E.  Killer,  A.  M.,  Lawyer,  Topeka,  Kans. 
*J.  H.  Smart,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Colfax,  111. 

*  Lizzie  Dodge  (Carson),  M.  E.  L.,  Wakeeney,  Kan. 

*  Lizzie  Garrett  (Garrison),  M.  E.  L.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
*Jennie  Hamilton,  (Jacobs),  M.  E.  L.,  West  Branch,  Wash. 
*Rinda  Hamilton  (Chesney),  M.  E.  L.,  Topeka,  Kans. 

*F.  G.  Johnson  (Allen),  M.  E.  L.,  -Santa  Rosa,  Cal. 
*Mattie  Morris  (Shawgo),  M.  E.  L.,  deceased. 
*Ella  Mosher  (Price),  M.  E.  L.,  deceased. 

*  Rachel  R.  Rose,  (Garrison),  M.  E.  L.,  deceased. 

*  William  Garrison,  B.  S.,  Sharon,  Kansas. 
*A.  N.  Norris,  B.  S.,  deceased 

*R.  A.  Lovitt,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Salina,  Kan. 
*A.  N.  Miller,  B.  S.,  Miller,  Roseville,  111. 
*J.  T.  Toof,  B.  S.,  Minister,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

A.  E.  Thompson,  B.  S.,  Pueblo,  Colo. 

1867. 

John  W.  Allen,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Chicago,  111. 
N.  S.  Haynes,  A.  M.,  Englewood,  111. 
Jennie  H.Neville  (Campbell),  M.  A.,  Topeka,  Kansas. 
James  H.  Nutting,  A.  B.,  Minister,  Woonsocket,  R.  I. 
W.  A.  Poynter,  A.  B.,  Farmer,  Albion,  Neb. 
Eliza  F.  Rogers,  M.  A.,  deceased. 
*S.  E.  Garrett  (Smart),  M.  E.  L.,  Colfax,  111. 
*G.  S.  Smith,  B.  S.,  Lawyer,  Omaha,  Neb. 

1866. 

Emma  Campbell  (Ewing),  M.  A.,  Jacksonville,  111. 
W.  W.  W.  Jones,  A.  M.,  Supt.  Neb.  Schools,  Lincoln,  Neb. 
J.  H.  McDonald,  A.  B.,  Lawyer,  Springfield,  111. 

B.  J.  Radford,  A.  M.,  Professor,  Eureka,  111. 
Peter  Vogel,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Somerset,  Pa. 
Carrie  V.  Wright  (Dixon),  M.  A.,  La  Hogue,  111. 
*Mary  Harris   (Thompson),  M.  E.  L.,  California. 
*W.  H.  Clark,  B.  S.,  Editor,  Abingdon,  111. 

*O.  P.  Nicholas,  B.  S.,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

*  Maggie  Thompson  (Harris),  M.  E.  L.,  Macomb,  111. 


358  HISTORY  OF  EUREKA   COLLEGE. 

1865. 

*A.  Linn,  A.  M.,  deceased. 
*M.  N.  Parker,  B.  S.,  Teacher,  Sabetha,  Kan. 

1864. 

*S.  P.  Lucy,  A.  M.,  deceased. 

*C.  S.  Woodmansee,  A.  B.,  Mississippi. 

*J.  Hyde,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*Bettie  Davis  (Lucy),  M.  E..L.,  Teacher,  Wichita,  Kansas. 

*Lizzie  Lyon  (Linn),  M.  E.  L.,  Hastinos,  Neb. 

1863. 

Eli  Fisher,  A.  M.,  Minister,  State  Evangelist,  Oregon. 

Belle  Johnson,  M.  A.,  deceased. 

Leroy  Skelton,  A.  B.,  Minister,  deceased. 

*L.  M.  Butler  (Ground),  M.  E.  L.,  Monmouth,  111. 

*A.  Linn,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

1862. 

Samuel  K.  Hallam,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Belton,  Tex. 
*S.  M.  Charles,  A.  M.,  Aurora,  111. 

*Judge  Durham,  A.  M.,  College  President,  Irvington,  California. 
*G.  H.  Laughlin,  A.  M.,  Prof,  in  State  Normal  School,  Kirks- 

ville,  Mo. 

*W.  S.  Ross,  A.M.,  Farmer,  Alma,  111. 
*H.  A.  Coffeen,  Editor,  Danville,  111. 
*S.  P.  Harris  (Reed),  M.  E.  L.,  Sheffield,  111. 
*D.  S.  Ross  (Laughlin),  M.  E.  L.,  Kirksville,  Mo. 

1861. 

T.  R.  Bryan,  A.  B.,  Kansas  City,  Mp. 

W.  J.  Carpenter,  A.  M.,  College  President,  Colusa,  Cal. 

H.  D.  Clark,  A.  M  ,  Minister,  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky. 

Mollie  G.  Clark  (Hawk),  M.  A.,  Mt.  Carroll,  111. 

Sallie  J.  Davidson  (Crawford),  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111. 

Rutilia  Gillum  (Hoyt),  M.  A.,  Forrest,  111. 

J.  F.  Davidson,  A.  M.,  Lawyer,  Hannibal,  Mo. 

D.  V.  B.  Hallam,  A.  B.,  Merchant,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
Nellie  R.  Jones  (Bryan),  M.  A.,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
A.  H.  Smith,  A.  B.,  Teacher,  Eureka,  111. 

J.  H.  Rowell,  A.  M.,  Lawyer,  Bloomington,  111. 
Lizzie  A.  Waughop  (Wilmot),  M.  A.,  Sparland,  111. 

1860. 

E.  W.  Dickinson,  A.  M.,  Eureka,  111. 

*A.  P.  Aten,  A.  M.,  Minister,  Owensborough,  Ky. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  359 

*J.  H.  Black,  A.  M.,  Farmer,  Ridgefield,  111. 

*J.  H.  Freeman,  A.  B.,  Deceased. 

*C.  E.  Price,  A.  M.,  Surgeon  U.  S.  A.,  Fort  Custar,  Mont. 

*J.  A.  Dawson,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*H.  C.  Maxwell,  B.  S.,  deceased. 

*W.  S.  Ross,  B.  S. 

*  Fannie  Charles,  M.  E.  L.,  deceased. 

1859. 

*G.  T.   Carpenter,  A.  M.,  deceased. 

*A.  M.  Coffeen,  A.  M.,  Champaign,  111. 

*J.  M.  Martin,  A.  M.,  Santa  Rosa,  California. 

*A.  P.  Bennett  (Martin),  M.  E.  L.,  Santa  Rosa,  California. 

*E.  L.  Covey  (Tickner),  M.  E.  L. 

*M.  A.  Gaines  (Coffeen),  M.  E.  L.,  Champaign,  111. 

1858. 

*C.  0.  Button,  A.  B.,  deceased. 

*M.  F.  Button,  A.  M.,  deceased. 

*W.  F.  Griffin,  A.  M.,  Carthage,  111. 

*W.  D.  Steward,  A.  B.,  deceased. 

*A.  J.  Thompson,  A.M.,  Minister,  Louisville,  Ky. 

*G.  H.  Field,  B.  S.,  Physician,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

*M.  C.  Murphy  (Hallam),M.  E.  L.,  Galesburg,  111. 

*A.  L.  Upharn  (Wood),  M.  E.  L.,  Virginia,  111. 

*E.  J.  Whitman  (Durham),  M.  E.  L.,  Irvington,  Cal. 

1857. 

*Fannie  Davis  (Smith),  M.  E.  L.,  Abingdon,  111. 
*M.  G.  Mahew  (Lonsdale),  M.  E.  L..  Columbia,  Mo. 

HONORARY   DEGREES. 

George  Callender,  A.  M.,  Eureka,  111.,  1869. 

Elmira  J.  Dickinson,  M.  A.,  Eureka,  111.,  1869. 

O.  S.  Reed,  A.  M.,  Springfield,  111.,  1869. 

J.  B.  Crane,  A.  M.,  Baltimore,  Md.,  1872. 

R.  C.  Norton,  A.M.,  Ash  Grove,  Mo.,  1873. 

Carl  Johann,  A.M.,  Eureka,  111.,  1879,  LL.  D.,  1887. 

H.  W.  Everest,  LL.  D.,  Irvington,  Ind.,  1881. 

B.  J.  Radford,  LL.  D.,  Eureka,  Ills.,  1893. 


YC  65152 


